


Alpha/Beta/Omega Ficlets

by TheseusInTheMaze



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Babies, Barry Kramer - Freeform, Breeding, Breeding Play, Drinking, Drugs, Explicit Consent, Feelings, Female Alpha/Female Omega - Freeform, Female Alpha/Male Omega, Female Omega, Fluff, Impregnation, Insecurity, Intoxication, Kidfic, Knotting, Lactation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omegaverse, Original Child Characters, Original Female Characters - Freeform, Original Nonbinary Character - Freeform, Polyamory, Pregnancy, Weed, alpha/beta relationship, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2018-08-07 17:58:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 72,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7724251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheseusInTheMaze/pseuds/TheseusInTheMaze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of ficlets I wrote in the Alpha/Beta/Omega universe. These are gonna be out of order, at least to start with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alpha Dan/Omega Suzy - Their First Time

Suzy’s heat hit her in the office. 

It was her own damn fault - she’d been so busy that she hadn’t been keeping track of much of anything, & Arin hadn’t gone into heat at all, & usually he went first, she followed…. 

Regardless, she was sitting at her desk & editing when a wave of warmth passed over her, setting her nerves on fire, & her clit began to throb as the crotch of her jeans darkened. 

“Shit,” Suzy mumbled, & she pressed her hands into her face. Fuck. She could… she could call Holly, make an attempt at driving home. She could get Holly to pick her up, but then the poor Alpha would be stuck in a car with Suzy on the first flush of heat, & that wouldn’t be fair.

“Hey Scuze, what’s… whoa.” Dan nearly staggered back, & Suzy remembered, belatedly, that he was an Alpha. He was always so… chill. He didn’t radiate hormones the way some Alphas did. He was just… calm, pleasant. She’d assumed he was a Beta, until he’d started fucking Arin. 

“Hi,” Suzy mumbled, & she looked up at him, trying not to squirm too much in her chair, her thighs rubbing together & more fluid gushing out of her. 

“You, uh… you gonna be okay?” He was pressing closer to her, his chest against her arm, & it was lighting her up. She wanted nothing more than to ride him, feel him stretch her out & fill her with cum, feel his teeth on her neck, her fingers in his hair. 

“W-what if I’m not gonna be okay?” She actually stood up, looking him in the face. There was liquid going down, drooling out of her, along her thighs, darkening her jeans. 

“Well, um… I mean… Arin & Holly… sometimes they….” Dan swallowed thickly, & Suzy had to give him some credit. Trying to think through the rush of hormones that were no doubt making him stupid with arousal. 

“It’s okay,” Suzy said quickly, & it was - at least, she was pretty sure it was. Holly had expressed interest in it, since she was fucking Arin regularly, &, well… Dan had told her how hot he found the idea. 

“Are you… are you consenting?” Dan took a step back, so that they could look face to face, without touching. Without distracting each other. 

Something in her chest just… twisted, sweetness flooding through her. 

“I’m consenting. To… to everything, I’m consenting to everything, please, Dan, please, knot me, please, it’s so hot, I feel so emp-” 

Suzy didn’t get to finish her pleading. Dan was pressed against her in less than a step, his long arms wrapped around her, kissing her with an intensity that made her head spin. She clung to his shirt, breathing in the thick, sweet scent of him, filling her head like expensive perfume. 

Dan actually lifted her up - there was a lot more strength in his pipecleaner arms than she had thought possible, & when she was flat on her back on the desk, he looked down at her, licking his lips & drinking her in.

“I’m so fucking lucky,” he said, & he draped his whole long body over her, his chest against her breasts, his face in her neck, biting & licking. His dick was already hard, grinding against the seam of her jeans, & she moaned, humping against him shamelessly.

His jeans were gonna be a loss, at any rate. So were hers, for that matter. 

“You’re so gorgeous, fuck,” Dan murmured into her neck, & then he bit her properly, his hands roaming across her breasts, flicking over her nipples, then pinching them, making her keen & moan as his mouth moved down lower, shoving her shirt up & her bra down, fastening on to her nipple, sucking it as hard as he could, then moving to the next one, as she bucked against him, keening & whining. 

“Please, Dan, don’t tease me, i need your dick, please… please,” Suzy moaned, & she was trying to get her pants down, shove them off & spread her legs for him to slide right into her, tie her. 

“You don’t want me to finger you or eat you out? Are you sure?” Dan was fiddling with the button of her jeans, tugging the zipper down. “I mean, I’m, uh… I’m kinda… big.” He looked bashful, even as he got her jeans down around her ankles, then off. 

“No,” Suzy gasped. “Just stick it in, please, you can eat me out later, I promise, please….” She was sobbing - actual tears dripping off of her face, mingling with the sweat, making her makeup smudge & run. “Please, I need your knot, please… please, Dan, I need you to cum in me, I need….” 

Dan didn’t get his pants down all the way. He didn’t even pull her panties off - just guided the head of his cock to her pussy & slid right in, aided by his own copious amounts of pre-cum & her own arousal, which was puddling under her. 

“Fuck, Suzy,” Dan gasped, & he held on to her hips, squeezing with his long fingers. She might have bruises. She hoped she did, as he slammed into her, filling her up just the way she needed him to. She could feel his knot beginning to slide out already, the base of his cock getting fuller, thicker, & then he was popping it into her, his dick as deep as it would go. 

Suzy came when the knot “popped,” her whole body convulsing around him, trying to draw him deeper as she shook & drooled out more fluid, adding to the puddle that was already sticking to her thighs. 

Dan, hilted & tied, bit her shoulder as he came his hips stuttering clumsily as he just came & came, filling her up. She felt a moment of panic - what if she got pregnant? - but that was… that was a thing that she & Arin had talked about. So now the sperm donor was one of three instead of one of two. She could live with that. 

“Fuck,” Dan said, & he nuzzled against the bite mark on her shoulder, kissing it. “I’m sorry, Scuze. I didn’t mean to lose control like that.” He gasped as she squirmed, his cock still spitting cum into her.

“So, uh… next time, you said you wanted to finger me?” She licked her lips. “Maybe… when we get back to my place, you could do that?”

Dan grinned into her skin, & kissed her. “Looking f-f-forward to it,” he said, his breath hitching as his cock twitched inside of her.


	2. Holly/Suzy & Arin/Dan

Holly didn’t break the door down.

It was a near thing, though.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she gasped, slamming the door behind her, making her way towards the bed, where Suzy was flat on her back, one hand desperately working between her legs.

“What took you so long?” Suzy looked at Holly through her lashes, as Arin & Dan rutted against each other on the other side of the bed. 

It was Dan’s bed. Because he had the biggest bed, & when there were two omegas in heat, you needed as much space as possible. 

“I had to get… I don’t know,” Holly gabbled, but she wasn’t paying attention to anything she was saying.

Arin was moaning, needy little gasps as Dan mounted him, fucking him hard enough to make the bed rock against the wall, which would no doubt leave some kind of mark on the paint. 

But who fucking cared. 

Well, no, tell a lie - Holly cared. Her cock was so hard she could barely stand up straight, her cunt dripping down her leg. The whole room smelled like slick, like heat, like sex. Suzy was a needy little mess, lying there in a puddle of her own arousal. 

“Please,” Holly said, & she was standing right in front of the bed her hands behind her back, clenching them into fists & holding on to her own shirt. “I need… you need to… ask me, please.”

“I know you’re not some… creep,” Suzy mumbled, & the hand not between her legs let go of Arin’s hand, reaching out for Holly. “Please. Please, please, not just hormones, just… please!” She spread her legs wider, & she was so wet, so desperate, the smell of it was filling Holly’s whole head up. 

“Fuck,’ Holly whined, & she was on her belly on the bed, her skirt hiking up, grinding her hips against the bed. Her face was buried in Suzy, her whole self surrounded by the smell & taste of her. She was licking, sucking, jabbing with her tongue, using her fingers, as Suzy wailed & warbled, trying to ride Holly’s face.

Oh, sure, they had sex at other times, but when Suzy was in heat… shit got intense. 

Sometimes it was Arin that she was fucking, while Danny used his skilled fingers to get Suzy off, knotting with her & filling her up with his thick cock. But Suzy had wanted Holly to mount her this heat, & far be it from Holly to disobey one of her omegas. 

Suzy was mumbling a stream of orders & obscenities, her hands tangled in Holly’s pink hair. 

“I need you,’ Suzy moaned, as she rode out another orgasm. “Please, fuck, please….” 

Holly resurfaced, panting. Her face was covered in slick, her whole head full of hormones, & when she glanced over, she saw that Arin & Dan were tied, with Arin on his belly & snoring, Dan still pressed inside of him looking amused, if stupid-horny. 

“I need your knot, please, fuck….” Suzy’s hips were wriggling, her thighs slippery with arousal. 

“Are you sure?” Holly wasn’t thinking, just yanking her denim skirt up around her hips, her panties around her thighs. “I mean….”

“She wants the knot,” Arin mumbled from his spot amongst the pillows, looking up at Holly with an amused expression. “You’re all she’s been able to talk about since this heat started. She wants the knot.”

“It feels gross saying it that way,” Suzy complained, even as she wriggled her pelvis at Holly, her breasts jiggling in time. “Like I’m in some kind of omegasploitation thing or something.”

“Nah, there’d have to be more comments about taking seed,” Dan said, & he wriggled his hips, attempting to pull free of Arin.

Arin squealed, & Dan went still again, biting back a moan. 

“I’ll say that if it’ll get you in me faster,” Suzy said, & she looked up at Holly, fluttering her eyelashes. “Ooo, Holly, fill me with your seed, pleeeease!” 

Holly pushed her dick into Suzy in one smooth movement, her face against Suzy’s neck. “If you never say that again, I won’t take it out,” she mumbled into Suzy’s neck, flexing her hips. Her knot was already beginning to form at the base of her cock, & her cunt was achingly empty, but Suzy was squeezing her so tightly that it didn’t matter. 

“I’ll s-say anything… oooh….” Suzy wriggled her hips against Holly’s, taking her in, deeper, & she was moaning like she was being paid for it. 

Holly made a surprised noise when she felt a finger in her cunt, glancing over. Arin’s hand was on her ass, his middle finger dipping into her, & then there were two fingers in her, one for each guy & the contrast in size made her quiver, her dick twitching inside of Suzy. 

“Fuck,” Holly moaned, & she hilted herself inside of Suzy, her whole body twitching & jerking. Her knot was about to pop, she was about to tie with Suzy, she was… she was….

Holly came with a gasp & a whimper, the knot of muscle at the base of her dick keeping her inside of Suzy as her hips worked desperately, shooting deep inside fo her. 

“Fuck,” Suzy mumbled, “you don’t usually go off that fast.” 

“Shut up,” Holly mumbled, her cunt still spasming around the boy’s fingers. “I get worked up easily.” She kissed Suzy loudly on the neck. “You’re just so damn hot.”

“Fine, fine,” Suzy said, & she was grinning. 

“Can you knot me next?” Arin’s face was hopeful & ridiculous, like a kid in a candy store. 

“If you ask nicely,” Holly mumbled, & she yawned, relaxing her weight onto Suzy. Now it was time to coma for an hour or two. 

“How can I ask if you’re falling asleep?” Now Arin was full on whining. 

“I think she meant ask me,” Suzy said, & Holly smiled into her soft skin as she fell asleep, still knotted tightly to one of her omegas.


	3. Brian's Secret

Dan sneezed, three times in succession, & he glanced at Arin. 

“Um,” Dan mumbled, leaning over to whisper in Arin’s ear, “are you, uh… you know. That time of the month?”

“… don’t think so?” Arin lifted an arm & sniffed. He wrinkled his nose, but shook his head. “Nope. I’m not gonna be all… horny & shit for at least two weeks.”

“Aren’t you always all horny & shit?” Dan nudged him in the side with his elbow, absurdly grateful that they weren’t recording. 

“You know what I mean.” Arin paused, taking a deep breath himself, & then he sneezed. “Fuck. Someone is… in serious need of a good dicking.” He glanced sidelong at Dan, grinning. “You should go help them.”

“This is all out of the goodness of your heart, eh?” Dan indicated the slight bulge in Arin’s pajama pants. “& not just you getting off to the idea of me knotting with someone else.” 

“So I find it a bit hot,” Arin said agreeably. “But it’s totally out of the goodness of my heart.” 

“Aren’t you supposed to be a clingy omega who doesn’t want me to look at anyone else?” Dan wrapped his arm around Arin’s shoulders, nuzzling into Arin’s hair. He smelled so good, so familiar, & Dan sighed. 

Fuck he was lucky. 

Arin shrugged. “I mean, I share you with Suzy. & you share me with Holly. To say nothing of the various Betas we both screw around with. If you wanna go… you know, service someone else, I’m not gonna object.” He snickered. “This isn’t some stupid movie, dude. You’re a human being, at the end of the day.” 

“You mean I’m not controlled by my hormones & turned into a ravening beast? Perish the thought!” Dan began to pepper Arin’s neck with kisses, which made the Omega laugh, shoving Dan away. 

“Go fulfill your hormonal destiny or some shit. Just, like, towel off before you drive me home.” Arin grabbed Dan’s ass, squeezing it, then letting it go. “I don’t wanna start early - I’ve got shit I gotta do.” 

Dan snorted & kissed the top of Arin’s head. “Just don’t leave without me. Suzy promised me dinner.” 

“It’s true what they say,” Arin called after Dan. “All you Alphas need is food & a place to stick your dick!” 

Dan groaned, covering his face with one hand. Only Arin. 

***

Dan walked by the desks in the Grump space, trying to figure out just whose scent was making his blood pound. It wasn’t Suzy - he’d known Suzy’s scent in a room full of perfume, let alone in the office. It wasn’t Ross - Ross was a Beta, & quite happily so. Although even he was looking a bit uncomfortable, shifting positions in his seat.

“Shouldn’t you be taking your little boyfriend home to knock him up?” He absently twirled his pen between his fingers. 

“Fuck off, Ross,” Dan said conversationally. “Anyway, isn’t your wife off with my girlfriend?” 

“Yep,” Ross said, leaning back. “They’re probably fucking like bunnies. Or planning cosplays. You know, whichever.” 

Barry was at his computer, typing away, & Dan knew through experience that he was an Alpha as well, albeit the mellowest one that Dan had ever known, besides himself. So that left only one candidate….

***

“Hey, Bri, you need any… whoa.” Dan sneezed again, harder, wiping his running nose on the back of his sleeve, & he closed the door behind him.

Brian was sitting on the couch, his fists balled on his knees. They were probably gonna need to replace that couch soon. 

“So.” Brian’s voice was wooden. 

“I, uh… is there anything you need, man?” Dan shut the door behind himself, but he leaned against it, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible. He knew what the “narrative” was, for lack of a better term. 

Alpha comes upon Omega in heat. Alpha fucks Omega in heat until pregnancy is achieved. They’re pair bonded for the rest of time, blah blah blah, happily ever after, with bluebirds & sparkles. 

“Would you believe me if I said I spilled some pheromones on myself?” Brian cleared his throat. 

“I mean, no judgement,” Dan said hurriedly. “I always thought you were, you know, an Alpha, or maybe a Beta, but… there’s nothing wrong with rocking the O, y’know?”

“I will pay you to never say “rocking the o” again,” Brian said, & he leaned against the couch, covering his face with both hands. “&… yes. I’m usually… better than this, but I’ve been busy.” 

“So all those times you smelled like… you know, Alpha-y, it was just… fake pheromones?” Dan kept his arms crossed across his chest, flexing his fingers. 

“Yep,” Brian said. “Got me more… respect.” 

“I still respect you,” Dan offered, although he was trying not to pant. “&, uh… if there’s anything I can… if you need anything….”

Brian made a frustrated noise. “That’s the bullshit I’m talking about,” he said, waving vaguely at Dan. “I don’t want to be fawned over, or any shit like that. I just need to… ride this out on my own.” 

“You sure? I can help.” Dan took a step forward, his hands reaching out. Then he paused, because he was aware what this looked like. He took another step back, his hands flat on the door. 

“I’m not asking you to fuck me,” Brian said raggedly. 

“I know,” Dan said, & he cleared his throat. “I mean, like… if you really wanted that, I’d be okay. So would… my other people. All of them.” He swallowed. “But I figured… I mean, if you just want a ride home or some company, I’ll offer that too.” He smiled crookedly. “What else would I do for my best friend, eh?” 

“Isn’t Arin your best friend?” Brian looked up at Dan through his eyelashes. 

“I can belong to more than one Omega. I can totally have multiple best friends.” Dan rubbed the back of his neck, still self conscious & horny. “So, uh… can I give you a ride home?” 

Brian looked up at him, his face absurdly grateful. “Thanks, man.” 

Dan smiled back.


	4. Febreeze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How about you do some talking,” said Dan. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda hurt. We’ve been friends since forever, & you never thought to tell me you were an Omega?” 
> 
> “It didn’t come up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An anon asked for a continuation of Brian as an Omega, so here it is!

“Dan?”

“Yeah?” 

“Far be it from me to inquire as to why you do anything, as your mind is a complete and utter mystery to me, but why did you empty an entire bottle of Febreeze in your car?” Brian’s tone was clipped, and he was squirming in the passenger seat, on the folded up towels that Dan had set up for him. “I feel a bit like I’m going to suffocate.”

“Well, uh, to be frank, I’m stuck in a small enclosed space with an Omega in heat,” Dan said, “an Omega who I’m not in a relationship with, an Omega I didn’t actually KNOW was an Omega until maybe half an hour ago, an Omega who I have complicated feelings for....”

“Complicated feelings?” Even with his face flushed and hands trembling, Brian managed to look smug. “What kind of complicated feelings? Repressed homosexual -”

“I’ve been fucking Arin for three months,” Dan said, “there’s nothing repressed about me.” 

“So what complicated feelings.” Brian was dripping slick, and even with the Febreeze, the smell of   
Omega in heat was permeating the small space.

“How about you do some talking,” said Dan. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda hurt. We’ve been friends since forever, and you never thought to tell me you were an Omega?” 

“It didn’t come up.” 

“Like fuck it didn’t come up,” Dan said, drumming on the steering wheel. He was clearly antsy, and he had an erection. It was leaving a wet spot on his pants. “All those “Alpha to Alpha” jokes you made, talking about tying with people, bragging about your knot....”

“It’s part of the... persona,” Brian said, and he took a deep breath, his hands planted on his knees. He was not going to moan, or whine, or whimper. He was NOT. 

“That you can’t even drop around your best friend. Gee. Thanks.” Dan sounded genuinely angry, and Brain wondered, faintly, if that was because he actually was, or if some of it was redirected arousal. 

That was weird to think about. 

“I’m sorry,” Brian said, quietly, and Dan shot him a look when they stopped for the light. 

“Seriously? No joke or anything?”

“I’m being sincere for once in our friendship, can you at least enjoy it?” 

“Fine. I accept your apology,” said Dan. “I’d pat you on the back, but I think that might be a bad idea right now.”

Brian laughed hollowly. 

“So, uh, can I ask a question?”

“You just did.”

“Funny. Can I ask a personal question?”

“Sure.” Brian covered his face with both hands. Any kind of distraction would help. 

“Why an Alpha?” Dan turned a corner, and Brian did moan, then bit his lip, “Like... why not just a Beta? The majority of the world is a Beta.”

“Not in our little chunk of it,” said Brian. 

Dan made an amused noise. “Okay, yeah, so entertainers tend to be Alphas and Omegas. But wouldn’t it be easier to just... neutralize, versus just covering your scent in something else?” 

“Nah,” said Brian. “If... if they think I'm an Alpha, and they smell Omega on me, they assume I’ve just been plowing some sweet Omega ass.”

“Thanks for that,” said Dan. “I feel kinda dirty hearing that.” 

“That’s what I’m here for,” said Brian, and he was smirking. 

“Really? I thought you were here to ensure I have to get my fucking car cleaned inside and out so I don’t trail horny Alphas like the fucking pied piper.”

Brian rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything. 

There were a few minutes of silence, and then Brian cleared his throat.

“Please talk to me,” he said, and he hated the desperation in his voice. “If you don’t talk to me I might start moaning or something equally hormone driven and stupid.” 

“So, uh... if you’re an Omega, does that mean that you carried Audrey?”

“Gee, forget about talking about the local sports team. Just delve right into my personal life, why don’t you?” Brian let the words flow out of him, because it was easier to concentrate on that than on making a fool of himself. 

“You said talk,” Dan pointed out. “You didn’t say about what.”

“I did father her,” said Brian. “I can’t carry a child - I had that part of me taken out a long time ago.”

“Oh,” said Dan. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. 

“Arin can father kids too, unless he’s got something wrong with him,” said Brian. 

“No, no, there’s nothing wrong with him,” Dan said quickly. 

“Are you using protection, with him and Suzy?” Brian rubbed his eyes. 

“We’re, uh... we’re using an “if it happens, it happens” kind of approach,” said Dan, and now he was squirming with discomfort. Brian took some joy out of that.

“What if you knock both of them up? Or you and whoever this other mystery Alpha that Arin keeps dropping vague hints about. Who is that, by the way?” 

“It’s... it’s not my place,” Dan mumbled. “If she wants to tell you, she’ll tell you.”

“Aha! It’s a she!” 

“You didn’t hear me say that.” 

“I’ll just file that away for later,” said Brian. “I’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Good luck with that,” said Dan. They were getting closer to Brian’s house. 

“So if you do knock up one of your Omegas -” 

“Don’t call them MY Omegas,” Dan said, scandalized. “They’re their own people.”

‘Yes, yes, blah blah blah, you’re a good Alpha, unlike all those jerks you see swaggering around. So are you gonna keep the baby, or are you gonna give it to Betas?” 

“What Betas do we even know?” 

“Well, I don’t know who YOU know, but we do know Ross and Holly - “ 

Dan slammed on the brakes in surprise, and Brian moaned like he was being paid for it, and hated himself for it.

“The fuck was that for?!” Then Brian broke into a grin. “Oh my god, Holly is an Alpha.”

“I didn’t say that,” Dan said hurriedly, as the people behind them started to honk. He started up again, going a touch faster than he needed to.

“You don’t need to!” Brian was grinning. “I’m not going to make comments about her anatomy, but I will laugh at you. A lot. If she gets one of them pregnant, you’re gonna have Ross as something like your brother in law, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean “my” brother in law? He’d be Suzy and Arin’s brother in law. Sort of.”

“Nope,” said Brian. “You’re joined at the hip. You’re gonna move in with them and help them raise the   
baby, unless you actually do want to do the breeder thing and hand it off to a loving Beta couple somewhere.” 

Dan flushed. “I’d never do that,” he said thickly. “I mean, the, uh... the... the giving away my kid. Or anyone’s kid.” He was almost as flushed as Brian. “Can you keep the... me being with them on the down low? And Holly being an Alpha.”

“I’d never share Holly’s status, that’s not mine to share.” Even Brian wasn’t that much of an asshole. “As for you and Arin and Suzy? That’s not my job,” said Brian, “Mister I’m gonna make out with Arin and then Suzy in the course of one office party.” 

“... okay, fair.” Dan blushed. “But, uh... we haven’t made... move in plans, but....” He bit his lip, and he looked embarrassed and happy. “We’re... gonna. Eventually.”

“I knew you’d settle at some point,” Brian said cheerfully.

“You’re awfully articulate for an Omega in heat,” said Dan. “Shouldn’t you be all “Oo, Alpha, I need your knot!” and whatnot?” 

“Gee, thanks,” Brian said. “Will you be letting me have my own water fountain next?”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” said Dan, turning into Brian’s driveway. Then he cleared his throat. “Will you need, uh... any help?” 

“Are you offering to fuck me?” Brian crossed his arms. 

“Well, no, but if you need.. I dunno, soup....”

“My wife will be home soon,” Brian said. “She knows how to take care of me.” 

“Can you wash the towels, please?” Dan rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. “I, uh... I don’t want to ride around a car that smells like Omega.”

“You mean that doesn’t smell like YOUR Omega,” said Brian, and he was snickering as he slammed the door shut, making his way quickly up the walk to his front door. 


	5. Surprise!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Dan.

"Scoozy-Woozy, sweetie pie," Dan warbled, coming up behind her in the kitchen & nuzzling into the back of her neck. "So pretttty, how're you so pretttty." He moved her hair off of the back of her neck, kissing along it, right where the hair got fine & thin, where he'd left a sizable bite mark a few months earlier. The mark had faded in its entirety, thank goodness. That had been... embarrassing. 

"You're in a good mood," Suzy said, & she was laughing as she stirred the pasta. 

"How can I be in a bad mood, when you're right here, & you smell so goooood." Dan snuffled at her neck like a hound dog, or an Alpha in a bad porno, kissing her lightly just to make her squeal. 

She did smell good - familiar, like home, with a hint of spice. Was she going to be coming into heat soon? Maybe that was it. It felt different, though. It was... it was nice, warm, cuddly. It made him feel like singing & dancing & kissing. Not so much with the fucking. 

Truth be told, he hated that time, before Arin & Suzy went into heat. Everyone was slightly irritable, on edge. They'd gotten more comfortable with each other & it had lessened, but still.... 

This felt a lot different. 

"You're such a goof," Suzy said, & she tilted her head back to get a peck on the lips, as Dan carefully tied her hair back, stroking his fingers through the silkiness.

"You looooove it," Dan said, & he kissed her loudly on the temple, his arms around her waist & resting on her belly. 

"Aren't I supposed to be the one doting on you?" She took the spoon out of the pasta sauce she had been stirring & held it in front of his nose. "It's missing something. What does it need?" 

Dan licked the spoon meditatively, staring at the ceiling as he stroked her belly. "It needs... garlic," he said finally. "Like, a clove of garlic." 

"Can you chop that up for me? I want it to be ready by the time Holly & Ross get here." She leaned back against him, the crown of her head tucked comfortably under his pointy chin. 

"But I'm so comfy," Dan said, his voice a mock whine, even as he unwound himself from around her & went to dig up a cutting board. 

The smell of the garlic was a bit like getting punched in the face, & Dan wrinkled his noise, chopping as fast as he could without getting his own fingers. 

"When is Arin due?" He was mincing it now, both hands on the knife. 

Suzy flushed oddly at that - he could smell it from here, even with the garlic, & then she cleared her throat. 

"He should be here a little after Ross & Holly are," said Suzy, & then she was quiet, for... some reason. 

***

"Hiiiiii!" Holly's voice was bright & sunny, & she made an immediate beeline for Suzy, mimicking the position that Dan had just been in, her hands around Suzy's waist. Of course, because of the height difference, Holly just had to make do with nuzzling into Suzy's neck & kissing along her ear, but she was just as cuddly. 

"Hey there," Suzy said, & she was grinning. "You're in a good mood too, I see."

"She's been talking about this all day," Ross said, & he stole a piece of raw garlic from the cutting board, popping it into his mouth.

Dan stared at him in horror. 

"What the fuck, dude?" Dan shook his head, & made his way to the pot, holding the cutting board right in front of him. "Lemme just drop this in...."

"So why the big dinner party anyway?" Holly was glued to Suzy's side, fingers hooked in the waistband of her skirt, standing beside her with her head on Suzy's shoulder. Dan felt a pang of envy - he wanted that spot. 

It was easy enough to achieve, at least - he dumped the garlic into the pot of sauce & washed his hands, then he was on Suzy's other side, his chin on her head. 

"Guys, I can't cook like this," Suzy said, her voice a bit strained. 

"Sorry, sorry," Dan said, & he stepped back, sitting at the table. His hands were itching - he felt full of restless energy, twitching & happy & nervous, in some weird way. It was... strange, but not altogether bad. 

Holly went to kiss Ross, with a bit more tongue than she usually did. Dan looked away, blushing a bit, & he drummed his hands on the table.

“You're in a good mood,” Ross said, & his hand was on Holly's ass. He let go of her, to lean in closer to Suzy, & he sniffed her neck. Then he was grinning. 

“Ross, I swear to god, if you do not take two steps back, I will dump this whole pot of sauce on your head, & I will not drive you to the emergency room.” 

“You let Holly & Dan crowd you like that!” Ross leaned against the table, one hand going on Holly's shoulder. 

“Holly & Dan have both been balls deep inside of me,” Suzy said, as if it was the most normal thing to say. 

Holly & Dan avoided each others eyes, paying attention to their hands. Suzy wasn't usually that blunt. 

“Christ, it smells in here,” said a voice, & Arin was coming in through the back door, looking nervous &... something. Dan couldn't put his finger on it. 

“C'mere & gimme some love,” Dan said, opening his arms wide. “I've been exiled to the table until she stops cooking.” 

Arin rolled his eyes, but he leaned against Dan, kissing him on the mouth, then putting his head against Dan's shoulder, his back against Dan's chest. 

Dan pressed his nose into Arin's neck, & he took a deep breath, sighing. There was more of that heavy, spicy scent, filling up his head & making something in the back of his mind relax. He didn't know what it was, exactly, but it filled him up & made him... happy. An old kind of happiness, that was almost suspicious in the way it held his mind hostage. 

Holly kissed Arin's knuckles, interlacing their hands. She paused, sniffing his wrist, & then she kissed his pulse point, up his arm, towards his elbow. 

“Aren't you nice,” Arin said, & his voice was dazed. “You're usually not this affectionate.” 

“So who knocked who up?” 

Ross's voice was cheerful, matter of fact. 

Suzy dropped her spoon, & Arin froze. 

So did Holly & Dan.

“I'm sorry, what?” Dan let go of Arin. “That's not funny, Ross.” 

Holly moved closer to Arin, her nose right up against his neck, on his ear. She took a deep, strong sniff, & then she stepped back & sat down hard. 

Suzy was smiling, but it was more a nervous baring of teeth than a smile. Arin was still standing stock still in front of Dan, but he had started to sweat. 

“So... you're... you're BOTH?” 

“... surprise,” Suzy said, & waved her spoon.


	6. To The Hills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan doesn't take the news as well as he thought he would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame Marie for this. This is almost entirely her fault!

Dan didn't really remember what happened next. He remembered gently pushing Arin to the side, and he remembered walking out the door, and he remembered sitting in his car. and then he was in the bar. There wasn't any in between. There was Suzy's kitchen, smelling like pasta sauce and herself, and there was Arin, and the new smell of... of a baby. A pre-baby. A soon to be baby. Multiple soon to be babies.

“What if they have multiples?” Dan was speaking into his glass. He didn't know which glass it was. It was one of multiples, though. Everything was fuzzy, and his stomach was already starting to churn and bubble. 

“What's up with you?” The bartender looked Dan up and down, no doubt taking in his huge hands cradling the small glass, the degree to which he was drunk, and how he had been drinking in the first place. 

“I knocked someone up,” Dan said. He neglected to mention that the “someone” was a “someone” who he had known, on some intellectual level, would probably get knocked up. But both of them? What were the fucking chances? Why was he even freaking out about this? He had talked about this. They had all talked about this. 

His hands wouldn't stop shaking. At least the bartender had the good grace to keep his mouth shut.

It was three shots later when Holly came into the small bar. 

He was kind of surprised that he hadn't smelled her coming in, hadn't even realized it was her, until there was pink hair and a hand on the back of his neck. 

“He's done now,” Holly said, and she was smiling at the guy behind the bar the same way Suzy had been smiling in the kitchen. All teeth. 

Some things are a bit... bone deep, and someone giving their teeth like that was usually a sign of... well, bad news. As far as Dan could remember. He was kind of drunk at that moment in time. 

Quite drunk, actually. There had been at least eight shots, and on an empty stomach. He was going to regret it very much later. 

“I didn't say I was done,” Dan said, and he smiled at Holly, a proper smile, his eyes half lidded. Gods, she was beautiful. It would be a good thing if the babies ended up looking like her. If only the pink hair was a trait that could be passed on.

“You're done,” Holly said firmly. She shoved a handful of bills on the counter, and grabbed Dan's wrist, more or less yanking him out of the bar. “I'm gonna pretend this isn't happening. Or that the shock is getting to you, because I'm pretty shocked too.” 

The air outside the bar was cooler, and he took a deep breath, feeling his head clear. He didn't entirely know if that was what he wanted, at this moment in time. It had been nice, having his head all fuzzed up. 

“I wasn't done,” Dan said, aware that he sounded petulant. Shit. How was he going to get home? He hadn't thought of that. Fuck. 

Holly spun around, rounded on him, and her face was so angry that he actually tripped, landing flat on his ass in front of the bar, the reverberations going from his tailbone to his ass. 

“You do not get to pull the victim card right now,” she said, and she was speaking through clenched teeth. “I just spent two hours consoling Arin and Suzy – both of whom are worried sick about you, by the way – because you couldn't act like an adult when faced with some unexpected news.”

“I went to a bar. What's more adult than that?” Dan forced himself up, rubbing the seat of his pants. “Anyway, you wouldn't understand. It's... complicated.”

Holly jabbed him in the chest with her index finger, and she looked like she could spit fire.

“Fucking try me,” she told him, her tone surprisingly flat. 

“I'm... I'm not an Alpha,” Dan said, vaguely gesturing at himself. “Look at me. I'm... I'm skinny, I'm a wuss, I'm not big and strong. I couldn't, like, protect a baby from anything. I'm just a scrawny nothing, what kind of father would I ever be?” He huffed out a sigh. “I'm just an old ex-stoner, who isn't good for anything.”

“Excuse me?” Holly took a step back, and her eyebrows went up. “Are you trying to tell me that I don't understand what it's like to feel like an inadequate Alpha?” She waved a hand over herself, indicating herself – small, female Alpha, dressed in pastel shorts and a t shirt. “Do I look like someone who could father a child?” Her laughter took on a hysterical edge. “You think I don't get shit for all of that stuff?” She threw her hands in the air, pacing. “Listen. Arin and Suzy... they chose us! They looked at us – your string bean ass, my... whatever the fuck I am, and they said, “hey, these people are nice, I like their genes, maybe we should share them with ours.” and you have the fucking... audacity to throw it in their faces, run off and get drunk and mumble about your inadequacy?” She was shouting now. That was a surprise – Holly usually wasn't one for shouting. “You knew what you were getting into when you started all of this! I was there for the damn conversation!” 

Dan looked down at his feet, shamed and terrified. She was right. She was completely right, and he felt like an utter dick. He... he wanted a baby. He did. He wanted a baby hard enough that it was terrifying, a visceral ache in his arms. And a baby that was Arin's, or Suzy's... hell, a baby that was Holly's. She smelled enough like him, worked with him enough, kissed him, laughed at his bad jokes. She was as much his person as Suzy or Arin. 

“I'm scared,” Dan admitted, and he hated the tremble in his voice, tears dripping down the sides of his face.

“You think I'm not?” Holly wrapped her arms around his middle, pressing her forehead against his midsection. “You wanna know the truth? After I got Suzy and Arin settled with Ross looking after them, I threw up for like five minutes.” She laughed ruefully. “Some fuckin' prospective father I am, huh?” 

Dan sighed, gathering Holly up in his arms and pressing his lips into her hair. “I... I'm gonna go back,” he said quietly. “And I'm gonna apologize. And then I'll... I'll figure it out from there.” 

“Okay,” Holly said. She gestured at her own car. “Get in.”

“We can't take my car?” Dan took a step towards it, and wobbled. 

“As if I'd let you behind the wheel when you're in a state like this.” She snorted. “You can pick your car up tomorrow.” 

* * *   
Dan stood in Suzy and Arin's living room – it would be his living room soon. He had a feeling. It felt.. right, to live with them. Although that was something to bring up later. Maybe not later-later, but... not now. 

Right now, Dan had an arm around Suzy and Arin's shoulders, and he was kissing them in turn, wetly, because of course he was crying, he was drunk and... fuck. He was gonna be a father, and Suzy and Arin seemed calmer about it than he was. Holly was there as well, nuzzling against Suzy and Arin in turn, pink hair bright in the dim living room. 

A fact that Ross had to point out, because he was Ross. 

“I'm sorry,” Dan mumbled into the soft hair at Arin's temple, his hand squeezing Suzy's tightly. “I'm so sorry for running, I shouldn't have done that.” 

“It's okay,” Suzy said, and it was, now. There had been... there had been some angry words, when Dan stumbled in, and some shouting, and then Dan had started crying and babbling apologies and promises, and stuff was... it was okay.

It was gonna be fucking complicated in the morning, but at this moment, it was okay. 

“So,” Ross said brightly, when they pulled apart, rubbing eyes and wiping noses, “who wants some overcooked spaghetti?”


	7. Myths About Alphas & Omegas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some misconceptions.

**Myth One:**

Alphas are predatory and Omegas are Prey 

In all of the movies, Alphas were big and protective, and they didn't like anyone looking sideways at their Omegas. They covered them in hickeys, always had an arm around them, constant contact, constant vigilance. Alphas were dangerous, drooling, hormone machines, wanting nothing so much as to fuck and claim. 

Not so much in the real world.

Okay, no, maybe there were couples like that out there, but Dan, Arin, and Suzy weren't like that.

For a start, there were three of them. Two Omegas and an Alpha, and that was unusual, to be sure, but Dan got enough knowing, smirking looks that it made him want to punch things. 

Well, as much as anything ever made him want to punch anything. 

No, the truth was, there were a lot of incredibly predatory Omegas out there, and half the time Dan was fucking oblivious to them, which drove just about everyone to distraction.

"That guy was pressing his ass right into your leg," Arin complained, as he and Dan walked home from the grocery store, Dan insisting on carrying most of the heavy stuff, even though his arms were straining. 

"Well, yeah, the line was pretty crowded," Dan said, watching Arin out of the corner of his eye. Ever since Arin had started to... well... show, Dan had been hovering. It was starting to get on Arin's nerves. "There was, like, no space."

"He also addressed you as Alpha," Arin pointed out, turning a corner and readjusting the eggs he had cradled in his arms like a baby.

Goddamn it. Dan had babies on the mind. 

"Did he? I missed that." Dan switched hands, so flexing his fingers. 

"You know I can carry that, right?" Arin reached for the plastic bag. 

"I got it, it's fine," Dan said. "And yeah, I was reading about Rush in that magazine. I wasn't really paying attention to anything." 

Arin rolled his eyes, and he snorted. Only Dan. Apparently something similar had happened with Suzy the other day, where a lady at a restaurant almost climbed into his lap, until Suzy had taken his hand, interlacing their fingers, and started talking about Dan's plans for when he moved in.

**Myth Two:**

Omegas are Submissive and Alphas are Dominant 

"Fuck, Dan, yes, fuck...." Suzy was sitting on his face. She was riding it effectively too, on her kitchen floor, her knees pressed into the sides of Dan's head, her fingers tangled into Dan's hair. 

"Look at how horny he is already," Arin said, and he was lying on his stomach between Dan's spread legs, lapping gently at the head of Dan's cock. "He wants it so badly, doesn't he?"

"Well?" Suzy pulled off of Dan's face. "Arin asked you a question. Are you gonna answer it?" She rested on his clavicle, her dripping wet pussy leaving a dark stain on his shirt. 

"Y-yes," Dan gasped, his hips rocking forward as Arin pumped his cock carefully, massing around the base where his knot would pop out. "Please...."

"Tell us how you're just a slutty Alpha," Arin crooned, his soft, wet tongue rasping up and down the shaft. "Tell us how you'll do whatever you want, as long as you get your knot in something."

"I'll do... anything," Dan gabbled, rocking his hips up desperately as he held on to Suzy's ass. "I'll do anything you want, please, please, I'm just a slutty stupid Alpha, all I'm good for is mounting Omegas, all I want is to pop my knot, please Arin, please...." 

"Well, I can't really say no to that, can I?" Arin grinned at Suzy, who grinned back. "Why don't we give our greedy little pet a treat, hm?" 

Arin swallowed Dan's cock in one smooth movement, and Dan howled into Suzy's pussy. 

**Myth Three:**

All Alphas Are Male. Most Omegas are Male 

"Mmm... I still can't get over how good you smell," Holly murmured, her arms wrapped around Suzy's middle and her nose in Holly's neck. They were reflected a million times in the fitting room mirror.

"What's it smell like?" Suzy was grinding against Holly slightly, feeling the familiar press of Holly's erection, Holly's warm hands through her t-shirt. It was fun to tease her girlfriend like this, even though neither of them would be able to do much of anything. 

"Like... um.... crud." Holly pressed her forehead into Suzy's shoulder, staring in the fitting room mirror. "Like... home," she said finally, and she blushed, looking down at her feet. 

"Wow," Suzy said, and she turned around, so that she was facing Holly, leaning down to kiss her. "That was, like, the cheesiest thing I've ever heard." 

"Hey! Out of Dan, Arin, and me, you're saying that I'm the cheesiest?" Holly put a hand on her chest in mock offense, and then she grinned, and took the kiss. 

"Hello, dears!" An older woman bustled in, looking Suzy up and down with a critical eye. "So when are you due?" 

Suzy blushed, squeezing Holly's fingers. She was still self conscious about... well, looking pregnant. Especially since she'd only just stopped throwing up every five minutes. 

"She's due in about five months," Holly supplied, and the woman smiled, her eyes crinkling up. 

"And where's the daddy? At home, I suspect."

"Well," Holly said, and she cleared her throat, even more embarrassed. "That would, um... that would be me." 

There was a silence, and the woman's smile looked a bit fixed.

Suzy snickered into her hand. "Could, I, uh, could I get this in black, please?" She grabbed a dress at random, brandishing it at the woman. 

"Right," the woman said, now on familiar ground. She bustled away. 

Suzy and Holly made eye contact, then burst out laughing.


	8. Switch It Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan was... well, curious.

"I feel guilty," Dan said, pulling the trench coat closer to himself, tightening the belt. 

"Why?" Holly shoved her hands in her pockets, shifting from foot to foot. She was wearing pants. She usually wore skirts or shorts, but she was wearing pants, because Dan had asked her to fulfill a fantasy. 

He was super grateful for it. 

"I dunno. Maybe we're... fulfilling stereotypes that harm actual Omegas, or something like that?" Dan shifted from foot to foot. He was overheated, and the smell was starting to get to him - he was already on his way to stupid horny, but he had to... well, work past that. 

"Dan, it's me and you in this room." Holly crossed her arms across her chest. "You wanted to do this, and I'm totally okay with it. But I wanna do it, not just stand around worrying about us doing it."

"... fair enough," Dan said. He blushed, looking down at his feet. "Can you, uh... could you be mean to me?" His bare toes curled on the floor, and he was flexing his fingers, cracking his knuckles. 

"What kind of mean?"

"Like... could you... call me a bitch, maybe?" He fiddled with the belt of the trench coat. 

"Sure," Holly said. "Could you take that thing off? You look like you're gonna start monologuing about some dame who walked in and you knew she was trouble."

"Okay," Dan said. "But, uh... when I take this off... don't hold back, okay?" His heart was beating way too fast, his hands shaking as he carefully undid the knot. "Like... in the bad movies."

"Alright," Holly said, nodding. Then she sneezed, because Dan had untied the coat, dropping it on the floor. 

He was wearing a pair of Suzy's jeans. They were stained dark at the crotch, and they stank of hormones - of her heat, her arousal, her desperation. He was wearing Arin's shirt, and that smelled of Omega too - the whole room was full of the scent of desperation, of neediness. 

Dan watched Holly's face - watched her struggle to fight back her main instinct, which was to jump straight on him. She cleared her throat, and she balled her fists up at her sides. 

"Permission?" Holly choked out. She was licking her lips, and her expression was... well, predatory. It made Dan shiver, his dick getting harder.

It was... strange, surrounded by the scent of his people, and a part of him - fuck it, a big part of him - wanted to bend Holly over, fuck her until she was howling. But that wasn't what he had come here for. He had come here to experience something... specific, and damned if his own instincts weren't going to take that away from him! 

"Granted," Dan said quickly. "Please, take me, I'm so desperate, please...." He racked his brain for the types of things that Suzy and Arin said, when they were this worked up. "Please, I feel so empty!" 

Holly slammed him into the wall. You wouldn't think she'd have been able to, as small as she was, but she barreled into him, forcing him flat against the wall, her small hands in his hair, pulling him down to her level and kissing him. 

They had kissed before - both in the heat of the moment with Suzy and Arin, and on their own. They'd gone on dates a few times, made out on the couch... they had an easy familiarity. 

This wasn't easy. Or familiar. 

Dan let himself surrender, let himself be dominated as Holly more or less forced her tongue down his throat. When they broke apart, Dan stared down at her with a fearful (or at least, he hoped it was fearful) expression. 

"Alpha, please... I need to be filled. Please, give me your seed. I need your knot!" 

Holly paused, then burst out laughing. Even in her hormone addled state, it just sounded so... cheesy. Ridiculous. Like something out of a bad Omegasploitation movie. 

Okay, so maybe Dan had jerked off to those a few too many times when puberty was first hitting, but it was a... different type of thing now. He wanted to see what it was like to be on this side of the equation. His dick certainly thought it was the best idea ever, judging by the way it was throbbing in the too tight jeans. 

Holly was laughing, full on laughing, pressing her face into Dan's chest and cackling up a storm, laughing so hard that Dan was a bit worried they'd need to wash the rug. 

“Dude, just... be natural,” she told him, looking up at him. “You know Omegas. Hell, you share Omegas with me. You know what they're like.”

“But I'm not trying to be... them,” Dan said, and he gave her a squeeze, then let go, waving his hands around. “I want to be, like....” He shrugged helplessly. “I'm trying to imagine what I'd be like if I was an Omega, except I can't, because I never was, you know?” 

“I think I understand,” Holly said slowly. “Do you want this to be more like... you know, a bad movie?”

“If that would be okay?” Dan avoided her eyes, until she grabbed his chin and forced him to meet them. 

“Sure,” said Holly, and she grinned with too much teeth. “But I want to go whole hog.” She gave a rueful smile. “I never really get to be full Alpha, you know? It'd be kind of cool to imagine what it'd be like, if people took me seriously.” 

“I take you seriously,” Dan said, cupping her face with one large hand. 

“You better,” Holly said, and her voice was rougher. It was put on, but it still made Dan's dick twitch. 

Dan writhed against her, rocking his hips, grinding against her and moaning. He tried to imitate Suzy at her most desperate, the way she would whimper in the back of her throat, pathetic little noises that sometimes made him want to take care of her, not just fuck her into oblivion. 

Holly actually growled at him, grabbing his hair and forcing him onto his knees. 

“N-needy little thing,” she mumbled, and she held his face in her hands, staring down at him. “Show me how much you want it. How much you want... how much you want me to knot you. Fill you up with my cum. With my... with my pups.” She was blushing at that last word, and so was Dan. 

It was all so... awkward, so uncomfortable, so fucking arousing. 

“I want it,” Dan begged, and he was nuzzling between her legs, mouthing at her erection through her jeans, his head filled with the heavy, musky scent of her arousal. “I want you to knot me, please Alpha, please knot me!” 

“Well, since... since you're such a pretty little thing,” Holly pulled Dan's head back by the hair, forcing them to make eye contact. “Since you begged so hard, I might as well give it to you. Horny little thing.” 

Dan scrambled upright, getting up on the bed. “Do you want to... taste my slick?” It was uncomfortable, letting those words past his mouth. He... he didn't know what he wanted, exactly. He wanted Holly to mount him. He wanted... he wanted....

“I want to sink my knot as deep as I can get it, into that Omega bubble butt,” Holly said, and then she bit her lip to keep from giggling, because... well, Dan had many wonderful qualities, but a bubble butt was not one of them. 

“Please, use your big, strong, Alpha muscles to pin me down and fuck me,” Dan said, crawling on all fours to the bed and waggling his butt at Holly.

“I swear to fucking god, Dan, I will walk out of here and leave you to wank yourself off.” Holly put her hands on his hips, grinding her dick against his ass. 

“I'll be good,” Dan said quickly, grinding his ass back against Holly. “You feel so good, fuck....” 

“What happened to “I'll be good,” hm?” Holly pressed her face between his legs, and Dan ground back against her face, the exact same way that Arin did, when he was like this. 

“I'll say that stone cold sober,” Dan said. “Or, you know what I mean. Ask Arin.”

“Arin said you're a regular butt slut,” Holly said, and she slapped his ass. “You're a... you're _my_ slutty little Omega.”

Dan moaned, wriggling his ass at her, and she slapped it again. He rocked back against her, spreading his thighs wider. “I'm so wet,” he said into the bed. “I'm so... fuck, please.”

“You're so ready for me,” Holly said, grabbing him between the legs. He humped back against her, the lube on his skin still sticky and slick under the denim. There was more lube on the bedside table as well. 

“I am,” Dan whined, and he gasped when he felt cold air on his ass. Wait, what? He glanced over his shoulder, and Holly was grinning at him with too many teeth, holding a pair of scissors. “I dunno if Suzy is gonna be happy about you ruining her jeans.” 

“They were a lost cause anyway,” Holly said, and she slapped between the cheeks of Dan's ass, right against the thick plug he had put in an hour earlier. “Dirty little thing, already so ready for my cock?”

“I love your cock, Alpha,” Dan moaned into the bed, his dick still hard and trapped inside of his jeans. “It's my drug.” 

“What, my dick is gonna make you laugh at everything and want to eat cookies?” Dan couldn't see what Holly was doing, but he felt her toying with the plug, making him gasp, his hips jerking sporadically as the damn thing pressed against his prostate. 

“Nah, one of the harder drugs,” Holly said, and she twisted the toy, enough to make Dan howl to the heavens, humping desperately against the bed. His cock was so hard that the knot was already starting to form at the base, and he was going to need to get the damn pants off soon. Or at least have them ripped off. Oo. He liked that idea.

“So you'll get in trouble, if you're caught with my cock, huh?” Holly reached over for the lube, her breasts pressed against Dan's back. There was another cold feeling, and the shirt was falling off of him, the back cut open. 

“I mean, no, let's be honest, I think that Ross would cum in his pants, and Arin and Suzy wouldn't be too far behind.” Dan rested his head on his elbow, as Holly did wet things with her cock. “I feel like we've kinda lost the plot.”

“Do you?” Holly pulled the plug out in one smooth motion, nearly making Dan's eyes cross. Then she was sliding her dick into him in an equally smooth motion, and she was seated, her groin pressed against his tailbone. 

“Fuck.” Dan pressed his face into his arms. He'd taken it in the ass before, but... this felt different. He tried to imagine what it would feel like, if he were an Omega. It would be... messier. More frantic. He squirmed, pressing back against her, still humping against the bed. He whined, low in the back of his throat. “Please, Alpha...”

“You like that?” Holly's voice was rough again, and it didn't feel put on this time. She leaned forward, pressing her face into his back. “You like taking my whole cock in one stroke, Omega bitch?”

“Yes,” Dan gasped, and he did a full on hip wriggle. “Please, Holly, Alpha, please... can I touch my dick? Please?” 

“Since you asked so pretty,” Holly said, and she grabbed at the loose, frayed fabric, ripping it forwards, and Dan gasped as his cock popped free, to rub against the bed. 

“You feel so big, Alpha,” Dan moaned, and she did. He'd never taken an Alpha's cock before – for whatever reason, it hadn't come up. Holly wasn't usually one for mounting up, for whatever reason. But oh, Dan was going to ask for this more, much more, it was.. amazing. He could feel her knot beginning to balloon out, and he shuddered, thrusting harder against her, his own knot beginning to pop out. 

“You want to take my knot?” Holly's teeth were in his back – if she'd been taller, they'd probably be in his neck. “You want me to fill you with my cum? Want me to fuck you until I knock you up and you get heavy with my... with my pups?” If she sounded a bit choked up, Dan chose to attribute that to arousal. 

Fuck knew he was turned on. 

Her voice was washing over him, fucking his mind the way her cock was fucking his ass, filling him up almost to capacity, until everything was her, and his body was just a vessel for her pleasure, her seed, her pups, her... anything. 

“Alpha,” he mumbled, then; “Holly.” 

“Fuck, Dan, you feel so good,” Holly said, and she pressed her forehead into his spine, the bumps of it no doubt digging into her cheek. “Do you... do you want me to actually... tie with you?”

“Yes,” Dan gasped. “Please. Please, please, please, tie with me, cum in me, please, please....” He was sobbing. Why was he sobbing? His cock was tender and desperate underneath him, and he could feel that he was about to cum, about to stain the bed and his own belly. 

“Fuuuuuck,” Holly gasped, and then she was shoving her hips forward, and her knot was inside of him. 

It was bigger than he thought it would be. Like, a lot bigger. It took a lot of self control not to pull away from her and call the whole thing done.

But no. Arin had taken this knot in this exact same way often enough, and Omegas and Alphas weren't _that_ different, anatomically. So he gritted his teeth and humped against the bed, drowning in the friction and the stretch and burn of her knot as it slid into him, then “popped,” filling her up completely. 

“Oh, Dan,” Holly gasped, and then she was cumming, her hips stuttering against his, and she was in, shooting him full of hot cum.

It was so hot – that was shocking. How did Omegas not boil from the inside out, as they were pumped full of hot cum, hot enough that it felt like it would scald him, even as his own orgasm hit him, making him tighten around her, which made her gasp and claw at his back and hips, as he came and came, spitting cum across his hand and the bed.

Holly kissed him dryly between the shoulder blades, nuzzling her cheek against the skin of his back. 

“You took it well,” she mumbled into his skin. “You'd make a good Omega.”

Dan shivered around her, and something in his chest twitched, although he wasn't sure why.


	9. Resemblances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The babies are here! Nobody is entirely sure how to react.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are all out of order, so apologies if this seems to be jumping ahead a bit.

"Arin!"

"Shh!"

Arin glared at Dan, holding his sleeping daughter, one hand on her bottom, the other on her back, her head against his shoulder. 

"Arin," Dan hissed, and he practically tiptoed into the small room, as the baby stirred in her sleep, clinging to Arin's shirt like a monkey, "you're not supposed to bend down and pick her up like that. You might tear your stitches!"

Tzipporah whined, her face beginning to screw up, and Arin made a panicked noise and shifted position, so that she was cradled, beginning to rock and bounce.

"No, no, no, don't cry," Airn mumbled, "Please don't cry, you'll set your sister off, please...."

"Where is she?" Dan ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end.

"Suzy's feeding her," Arin said, still jiggling. He was wincing every second step, and Dan made an impatient noise.

"Give her here," he said, opening his arms. "You're obviously in pain, dude."

"You're fussing over me worse than when I was pregnant," Arin said, but he handed the baby over, and Dan held her up against his chest, staring down into her face.

"You hadn't had your fuckin'... belly cut open when you were pregnant," Dan said. He was looking for some sign that maybe he'd fathered her - who could even tell, though? The two babies looked pretty alike, apart from a birthmark on Rhea's foot. Nobody was sure where that had come from.

"If I can't hold my own daughter, man...." Arin yawned, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles, "what's even the point of having a baby?" He was grinning ruefully. "What's the kid gonna do without one of... fuckin' four parents?"

"Oh shut up," Dan said, and he carefully transferred Tzipporah back to Arin, kissing her head. "Just don't bend over and pick her up. That's what the doctor said."

"Yeah, yeah," Arin mumbled, and he stared fondly down at her. "I still can't believe I let you talk me into that name."

"Me, nothing," Dan said. "That was all Holly."

"You had to give her that list of bird names," said Arin, and he snickered.

Wrong idea.

"And here it goes again," Dan said under his breath, as his daughter opened her eyes and began to wail, flailing in the blanket she had been swaddled in, her face screwed up.

"Hey man, she gets the lungs from you," said Arin, and he stood up, groaning.

Dan stole a furtive glance at Arin's belly, to check for a bloom of red. He wouldn't want to have to run Arin to the hospital, after all of the ridiculousness with the births. He was more than sick of hospitals.

"I'll be fine, Dan," Arin said as he walked back and forth, leaning over to kiss Dan over the top of their daughter's head. "Unless you're so worried that you want to stay up with her instead?" He held the baby out, and raised an eyebrow when Dan wordlessly took her. But hey, sleep was sleep, with a groan (and a hand on his sore belly), Arin made his way back to bed.

"We're gonna let Arin rest a bit," Dan told her, his long body beginning to rock and jiggle her, in an attempt to get her quiet. "C'mon, baby bird, let's go to sleep for your Dad for a little bit...."

Dan started to sing, quietly, under his breath, not entirely on key, walking back and forth in old pajama pants and a ratty t-shirt that had originally been Arin's. He didn't see Arin leaning against the door frame, or the soft expression on Arin's face.

* * *

"She's got my ears."

"Well, of course she's got your ears. That she's yours isn't really in question." Holly stared down at the baby on her chest, a bit too nervous to move.

"I dunno, maybe someone came in the night and switched the two of them without us realizing it." Suzy ruffled Holly's hair. "In utero, I mean. I think she's got your nose."

Holly squinted down at the face pressed against her chest, then up at Suzy's face. She wasn’t going to comment about the “in utero” swapping, because everyone was pretty punchy by now. "I mean, I literally saw her come out of you, but I'm not seeing a resemblance either." Rhea squirmed, opening her eyes and blinking at Holly. 

"She kind of has your eyes?" Suzy put a hand on the baby's back, rubbing it in a circular motion.

"All babies start out with light eyes," Holly said, and she reached out with one hand, as Rhea took Holly's finger, clutching it desperately. "She does kind of have Dan's nose."

"Well, your name is on the birth certificate," Suzy said, her voice breezy. "Hey sweetie, did you have a good nap?"

The baby began to whine as she was lifted off of Holly's chest. She quieted immediately when Suzy let go, letting her stay on top of Holly.

"She wants to stay with her Daddy," Suzy said, her voice soft.

"Huh," said Holly, as she tried to wrap her head around that being... well, her. She didn't exactly match what a father was supposed to look like.

Rhea didn't seem to have any complaints, though.


	10. Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin & Holly's first time getting together.

"This feels weird," said Holly, and she smiled at Arin, awkward but sweet. 

"Why?" Arin combed his fingers through his hair, which he had left down. He also looked embarrassed, but a bit less awkward. 

"It's not all... heat of the moment, if you'll pardon the pun," said Holly, and she flashed him a shy grin. "Usually, it's all hormones and whatnot. It's the first time I've really... you know."

She gestured vaguely at the roses on the table, the movie playing in the background, which had been the pretense for them getting together alone in the house in the first place. At the space between the two of them on the couch.

Okay, no, that was a lie. There had been talks. Oh, had there been talks. Talks enough that they probably warranted a capital "t." Between Arin and Suzy, Arin and Holly, Arin and Ross, and all variations and combinations that one could really get with four people. Which resulted in the two of them, sitting at Arin's house, on Arin's couch, making awkward small talk. 

"What was it like the first time with Suzy?" Arin tucked a piece of hair behind his ear, and Holly blushed, looking down at her hands. "I mean, uh, if that's not too intrusive question to ask."

"Nah, it's alright," said Holly, and she huffed out a breath, trying to get her thoughts in order. "It was...." She paused, biting her lip and looking at the ceiling as she tried to sort her thoughts out. "It was... it was really complicated, and really simple at the same time, you know? Because she was in heat, and we'd kinda talked about it, so we kinda knew that we wanted to do it. You know?"

"Versus now it's just kinda you and me chilling out?" Arin nodded, as if he understood. Who knew. Maybe he did. They guy had hidden depths. 

"Not even," said Holly, and she turned her body, so that she was facing him. "It's like... it's like you and I are a... like, we're both friends and whatnot, and I could see us being a physical thing or a romantic thing or whatever, but there's no... catalyst. Apart from the fact that we both like each other."

"Seems like enough of a catalyst," Arin said, and he shrugged, looking sheepish. "Or is this more... you know, class stuff. Alphas need a reason to pursue Omegas and whatnot?"

"Oh, no," Holly said hurriedly, putting her hands up. "Nothing like that." It didn't have anything to do with Omegas or Alphas or whatever. She laughed, rubbing the back of her neck, aware it was heating up with the rest of her face. "I'm making a real mess of this, aren't I?"

"When Dan realized I was an Omega, and interested in him, he locked himself in a closet for two hours, because he was afraid that his ;Alpha amazingness' was influencing my decisions" said Arin, and he leaned forward, bridging the gap and raising one hand up to cup her cheek. "I mean... in fairness, it's not like we've got blueprints or anything. If you wanna try to just do stuff organically... what's the worst that can happen?"

"I ruin our relationship - regardless of what kind it is - Ross loses his job, I lose my... I lose Suzy, our friend group splits apart, everything goes to hell, the world ends...." Holly wasn't even aware she was rambling until Arin pressed a hand over her mouth, meeting her eyes.

"Worst case scenario, we find out we have no chemistry and we've got a weird story to tell everyone," said Arin, and he grinned, awkward. "Could uh... could I test our chemistry?"

"You got a kit or something?" Holly's voice was muffled under Arin's hand, and she was grateful he had a hand on her face, or she probably would have tried to cover it herself. 

Arin rolled his eyes. "Can I kiss you?" He asked her, looking her straight in the eye, blushing to his hairline. He took his hand off of her mouth, no doubt to facilitate kisses.

"Oh! Uh, sure." Holly blushed, but she leaned forward, puckering her lips up. When his pressed against hers, she gasped and pulled back, blinking at him in surprise. 

"No dice?" Arin made a face, but looked resigned. "It's a pity. I, uh, I really like you."

"Oh, there's dice. I mean, of course there's dice, I'm a tabletop gamer, there's usually dice. But, uh... no." She giggled to herself, looking down at her lap. "I've just never kissed someone with a mustache before. It feels really weird."

Arin laughed, and he was still laughing when she pressed her mouth against his, less hesitant this time. 

* * * 

“Holly!” Arin's voice was desperate, needy. “Holly, it came... it came early, I'm sorry, if you're busy, you think you could....” A whine, rising in pitch over the phone line, and Holly was practically drooling, imagining whatever it was that was causing Arin to make all those noises. 

“I'm on my way,” she said, because how could she ignore that? Arin was an Omega – Arin was _her_ Omega, who was she even kidding? - and he was in heat, and he was fucking... begging her, and here she was, on the other side of town, and that wouldn't do at all, would it? 

She was panting when she got to Arin and Suzy's place, and there was a moment of slight panic – what if Suzy was in heat as well? But no, it was just Arin who answered the door, sweaty and red faced, wafting musky hormones on the wind. If they didn't close the door soon, they would probably have a few Alphas crowding around the place. 

“Thank fuck,” Arin panted, and he kissed her, right there on the stoop, his hands clutching at her hips like a lifeline, his sweaty chest pressed against her own. “Please, Holly, I need....”

“Not on the front stoop, I hope,” said Holly, breathless and beginning to sweat herself. 

Arin grabbed her around the wrist and pulled her, physically _pulled_ her, and Holly had forgotten how strong Arin was. It was easy to forget, when he was pulling the stereotypical Omega-in-heat act, but here he was, pulling her over to the kitchen table, bodily lifting her onto it, spreading her legs to kiss up her thighs and nuzzle her wet cunt through her panties, her cock swollen in the confines of the thin fabric. 

“I've been waiting for this, fuck,” Arin mumbled, and he actually tore her underwear open, the elastic twanging and the threads of the fabric fluttering against her thighs. His face was deep into her cunt now, licking and licking, while he wrapped his hand around her cock, pumping it desperately. 

“Arin,” Holly mumbled, and she pushed at his shoulders, hard enough that he fell flat on his ass, staring up at her wide eyed, his face damp with sweat and her arousal. “Arin, what are you... why are you... don't you want me to fuck you?”

Arin blushed, looking down at his hands. Holly could see the slick soaking into his pajama pants, darkening the fabric. “I've... I've wanted to....” He swallowed, licking dry lips. A few pieces of hair had fallen out of his ponytail, and were sticking to the sweat on his face. “I wanted to make you feel good. Because... you know, you're taking time out of your day to come see me.” He was squirming on the floor, shifting rhythmically, almost as if he was riding someone. 

Was that what he was gonna be like when he rode her? Holly flushed, and licked her lips. 

“I'm... we agreed. That, uh... that....” Holly floundered. Then she gave up. “You smell like me,” she told him, blushing as well. It was always weird to bring up the... animal nature of their biology. The way some things ended up sounding like fucking... dog training. “I'm an Alpha. We make our Omegas feel good.”

“I thought we were gonna ignore all of that Alpha/Omega bullshit?” Arin grinned at her – even running a low fever, and so horny he was leaving puddles, he had to be contrary. 

“Okay, fair,” Holly said, and she climbed down from the table, shoving him flat on his back. “So we're ignoring the Alpha/Omega bullshit, and this is just me saying that I desperately want to sink my knot into you.” She was blushing as she said it, her hands were shaking, but she still got them down, and then she was lost in the flush of his heat, which sent a lot of her head someplace else. 

“Fuck, Holly,” Arin moaned, and he made to roll over. 

“No,” Holly mumbled, and she planted her hands on his hips, climbing up his body, until her cock was up against his balls. “I... I wanna watch your face.” She paused, a bit of reason clicking into her head, and then she pulled her shirt off, wadding it up and shoving it under his ass. She was going to have to get rid of that shirt. A pity. At least it lifted his hips a bit. 

“You s-sure?” Arin arched his back, presenting his ass to her, and Holly slid two fingers into him, to check if he was ready. 

Oh, was he ready. If he got any slicker, she might actually fall out of him. 

She grunted when her cock finally slid home, hilting herself inside of him, and she watched his face, her hands on his thighs, forcing them apart. He was moaning, loud enough that the windows were probably rattling, but who cared, who fucking cared, he was hot and wet and tight around her, squeezing her tightly, making her eyes roll back in her head and her knuckles go white as she clutched at him. 

“Fuck, Holly, you feel so big, oh god, fuck, fuck....” Arin was muttering a string of authority, grinding back against her, humping her, panting open mouthed. There was sweat dripping down his face – there was sweat dripping down her face - and the whole room smelled like sex and like desperation. Like Omega, like Alpha, like the joining of the two. Like the kind of biology that doesn't get talked about in polite company. 

“Do you want me to... fuck, Arin, do you want me to....” Holly's hips were speeding up, her cock swelling. She could feel her knot beginning to grow, rubbing against his hole, and she was almost there, she could feel it in the pit of her stomach, in the way her legs trembled. He was looking up at her with his big brown eyes, and she wished she could kiss him.

Damn height difference. 

Arin tilted his hips, humping back against her, and then her knot was inside of him, fully formed, popped and tying them together. It left him gasping, cumming across his stomach. He got his beard, from the way his hips were tilted, and Holly started laughing, which brought her own orgasm on, sweet hot pleasure lancing through her like needles, leaving her desperately sobbing and gasping as she came and came, so much cum that it just filled him and filled him. 

If he got pregnant from this, it'd be... it would certainly be something. Although female Alphas tended to be less potent, and male Omegas less potent. 

But that wasn't a thing to worry about. 

“Did you have to rip my underwear?” Holly rested her forehead on one of his pale, thigh thighs, as her cock continued to discharge. Like a fucking pistol. She was giggling, and she wasn't sure why. 

Cumming like this – desperately, with an Omega – always made her a bit stupid. 

“You made me cum on my beard,” Arin grumbled. He craned his arm out and cupped her cheek, his thumb against her lower lip. “I figured it would be a bit less....”

“Bad porn movie?”

“Hard on my back,” Arin said, and he squirmed experimentally. 

Holly gasped, pressing deeper into him, which made Arin whimper, his hands closing into fists. 

“I think you're thicker than Dan,” he said, as if he was commenting on something a lot less... complicated. “Or at least, your knot is bigger.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Holly kissed his belly, where his shirt had ridden up. His belly was pale, with a dusting of dark hair. 

“Don't Alphas like knowing they've got big knots?” Arin ruffled her hair, then made a face. “Sorry. I think we should shower after this.”

“Well, duh,” Holly said. “And I thought you weren't into that Alpha bullshit.”

“Okay, okay, sheesh.” He flexed, and Holly moaned again, her hips juddering forward. A bit more cum spurted out of her. “You think you'd be up for another round?” He was blushing, beyond the bounds of the flush of heat. 

“I might be able to find it in myself,” Holly said, and realized her mistake as soon as she said it. 

“Don't you mean find it in me?” Arin was laughing, and every time he laughed, his muscles squeezed her knot, which made her shudder and pant, which made him laugh harder. 

“You're horrible,” Holly said, but she was grinning. 

“I know,” Arin said, and he cupped her face again. He blushed when she kissed his palm, and she smiled.


	11. Babysitting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ross & Brian watch the babies while their parents get their doctor's appointment. Shit gets downright philosophical.

“Aren’t you supposed to be good with kids?” Ross watched, bemused, as Brian walked Rhea back and forth, the baby squalling like a fire alarm. 

“What, because I’ve got my own?” Brain jiggled from foot to foot, his expression a bit strained, but otherwise showing no sign that he was being slowly deafened. 

“You’re an Omega.” Ross adjusted Tzipporah, who was whimpering, but mostly keeping quiet as she drank from her bottle. “You’re supposed to be good at babies.” 

Brian blushed, turning dark red from his hairline to his neck. His step faltered, and Rhea started screaming louder.

Ross rolled his eyes, and carefully set Tzipporah down on the table, holding the bottle with one hand. “Giver her here.”

“What does me being an Omega have to do with how good I am with children?” Brian handed Ross the baby, picking up Tzipporah. “and I”d appreciate you not spreading that around.”

She blinked her eyes at Brian, then went back to sucking at the bottle. She was... surprisingly mellow. Maybe she was Dan’s.

“Aren’t Omegas supposed to be super good with babies?” Ross jiggled, walking back and forth, and miracle of miracles, Rhea began to quiet down. 

“No, Betas are supposed to be good with babies. Alphas and Omegas make the babies, Betas take care of them.” Brian raised an eyebrow, as Ross put Rhea over his shoulder, stroking her back. “She’s gonna puke on your shirt.” 

“She’s already peed on it. I’ll change it when Arin and everyone get home.” Ross made a face, as Rhea spat up down his back. “Thanks for that.”

Brian snorted. “So one of them is sort of your... step daughter?” He stared down at Tzipporah, looking for Holly or Dan in her face. Both babies had normal sized thumbs, which didn’t help matters.

“Kind of.” Ross went back to cradling Rhea, who was starting to fall asleep.

“Is it... what’s it like, knowing your wife is a father?” Brian sat down carefully.

Ross shrugged. “I knew what i was getting into,” Ross said, rubbing Rhea’s tummy. “I’m not good with babies because I’m a Beta,” he added.

“So where does it come from?” Tzipporah blinked up at Brian, and flailed like a happy starfish. 

“Cats,” Ross said. “They’re like smelly cats.” 

“... why do I ever leave you alone with my daughter?” Brian lifted Tzipporah up, putting her over his shoulder, which had a towel over it. “Why did Dan ever saddle you with that name, sweetheart?” 

“That was Holly’s idea,” Ross said. “Although I suggested it.” 

“Of course you did.” 

They both jumped when the front door opened, which set Rhea off again. Tzipporah just whimpered, clinging to Brian, and Brian kissed her on the cheek. She wore that slightly shocked expression that all new babies have, andshe stared at him like he’d told a bad joke.

“Please tell me it hasn’t been like this the whole time,” Dan said, rubbing his eyes as he walked in. “Gimme.” He made vague grabbing motions at Brian.

“The word “please” is always appreciated, you know,” said Brian. “Set a good example.” He handed Dan his daughter, and Dan’s face lit up, looking down at her. 

“Hey sweetheart,’ Dan crooned. “Didja miss us?” 

“You stink,” Holly told Ross, after kissing him. She made a nervous noise when he handed her Rhea, but took her. “Hi.” 

Rhea quieted down, clinging closer to Holly, and something in Holly’s face went soft. She adjusted her hold on the baby, looking into her face.

“I feel superfluous,” Arin said, leaning against Dan to look down at Tzipporah. “Hey sweetie.” 

“Give them, like, an hour,” Suzy said, leaning her head on Holly’s shoulder. “I hate doctors.”

Holly chuckled and kissed Suzy on the cheek. She glanced over at Ross, and she smiled nervously.

He smiled back, without any nerves, and he kissed her.

“You are gonna grow up so weird,” he told Rhea.

“That’s not very nice,” Dan protested. 

“It’s true, though,” said Brian. 

They couldn’t really argue with that.


	12. Insecurities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becoming a parent is scary, yo.

"Brian," Dan said, his voice a lovely combination of panic and exhaustion, "I don't know how to be a father to daughters." 

"Do you know how to be a father to sons?" Brian, equally exhausted but still maintaining his aura of knowing everything, sounded something awfully close to amused. 

"Well, no, but aren't daughters supposed to be harder?" Dan raked his hands through his hair, which looked even more wild than usual. One of the babies would probably inherit his hair. Unless they were both Holly's. There was a chance of that. They had flipped a coin as to which name went on which birth certificate, but... still. 

"You're over thinking this," Brian said ,and he took up a bite of the chocolate cigar. He was holding a box of them. They all said "It's a girl!" 

"How am I over thinking this?" Dan was pacing now, back and forth in the hospital parking lot, by his car. "Fuck, Brian, I don't know how to even HOLD a baby, let alone how to... parent!" 

"You can learn how to hold a baby," Brian said. "I was scared to, you know." 

"But you got over it pretty damn quickly." Dan paused his pacing. "What if that mark on her foot is cancerous!"

"... you just went from point A to point pineapple, care to fill me in?" Brian unwrapped another chocolate cigar, and shoved it into Dan's mouth. He probably needed the sugar. He looked like he was going to crash. 

"What if the mark on... on Rhea's foot is cancerous?" Dan chewed the cigar, swallowed it, licking melted chocolate off of his lips. "What if I gave her a cancer foot?!"

"I thought that Rhea was Holly's," said Brian, trying to catch up. "And it's a birthmark. Everyone has them." 

Thank god for the birthmark. Otherwise, it'd be hard to tell the two babies apart. Sure, they each smelled different, but a few days at home, they'd probably be identical. Especially since Arin and Suzy were nursing them interchangeably, holding them interchangeably, loving them interchangeably. 

Not that they should be showing preferences or anything, but you'd think....

Dan groaned, covering his face with both hands. His thoughts were confusing and running into each other. 

"I feel lost," he told Brian, and there were actual tears tracking down his face. Goddamn it. 

"That's normal," Brian said, and he hugged Dan impulsively, patting his back. The cigars were safely on the roof of the car. "Everything feels weird and crazy and scary." 

Dan sobbed, actually sobbed, and he was ugly crying, wiping his face, with both hands. "What if... what if something happens to them? To either of them? I'd... I'd die. If either of them got hurt, or... or anything."

Brian made vague soothing noises, although he'd deny it to his dying day. 

Dan leaned back, rubbing his eyes with both hands, and he sighed. Then he frowned. "Fuck. I'm being a douche. Holly must be dealing with all this shit, but like... a billion fold."

"You think?" Brian followed after Dan, who was almost running down the parking lot. 

"Totally," said Dan, and indeed, Holly was standing by the hospital entrance, sobbing like her heart was broken into her hands. 

"Hey, hey." Dan wrapped her up in his arms, resting his chin on her head, rubbing her back and rocking her. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay." It was intimate. It was more intimate than any sex they'd been part of, and Brian looked away. 

"I made a person," Holly mumbled into his chest. "She's got fingernails."

"Yeah," said Dan into her hair. "They've both got fingernails." 

"And Arin is all...." She made a vague hand motion by her head, indicating how loopy Arin still was. The stitches on his belly were still fresh and black. The nurse had given him a Look when he had insisted on holding Tzipporah, and he couldn't get out of the bed unaided. 

Dan felt a lot of guilt over that. About causing that. But Arin didn't hold it against him, so that was something. 

"It's okay," Dan said, and he kissed her, right there in front of Brian, right in front of the damn hospital. "It'll be okay."

"... what if it's cancer?" Holly's voice was querulous, and her expression was something like sheepish and something like terrified. 

"It's not cancer," Brian said in a long suffering tone. "You're gonna be grateful to the damn birthmark in like three days." 

Holly sniffed, wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. "Okay."

"You good?" Dan cupped her cheek, thumbing her cheekbone. 

"Yeah," Holly said. "I'm good." She took a deep breath. "Should we go, uh... visit our offspring?"

"Sounds like a plan," Dan said, and he took her small hand in his own huge one, spindly fingers overlapping with short ones.


	13. Home Porno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan & Holly perform for their Omegas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've already written Dan getting knotted once, but you can't have too much of Dan with an ass full of cum, right? Right!

“Why are we doing this again?” Dan licked his lips as Holly daintily pulled her underwear down her legs, leaving her skirt on. Her erection was already hard, tenting her skirt. 

“Because you love us,” said Suzy, from her spot on the bed. She had a hand high on Arin's thigh, and she was rubbing little circles on the pale skin. 

Both of their bellies were beginning to get rounder, although it was only really noticeable if you looked for it. Arin could only really tell on the rare occasions when he wore actual pants. Suzy was a bit more obvious, but only due to regular wardrobe. 

“You need an excuse to get that tight ass reamed?” Arin had an arm around Suzy, and he was holding her breast in his hand. Not massaging it or playing with it, just holding it. Like it was a grapefruit he was testing at the grocery store. 

Holly rolled her eyes. “Don't make it porny, guys,” she said, pulling her shirt over her head, then unclipping her bra. “Why are you still dressed?”

“I was enjoying the show,” Dan said, and he pulled his own shirt off. “I can't watch my favorite Alpha get naked?” He paused. “Almost naked. Why are you still wearing a skirt?” 

“'cause it's hot,” said Arin, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “This show is for us, you knew that!” 

Dan huffed out of his noise, half annoyed, half amused. He yanked his pants off, taking his boxers with him, and he was standing there naked, except for his socks. He'd keep those on – it was a bit chilly in the room, and everyone complained about his ice cube limbs. 

“How about some sexy dialogue?” Suzy's hand was sliding up the leg of Arin's shorts, towards the noticeable lump in his shorts. “Make this a porno with a plot.”

“It's a porno now?” Holly raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms under her breasts. “Do I need to put on more makeup? Maybe some high heels?”

“Nah man,” said Arin, and he moved his hand down the front of Suzy's shirt, his fingers moving under the fabric. Fuck, this was a tease. He knew it, too. “This is one of those... amateur pornos. The ones that they try to make look as authentic as possible.” 

“Wouldn't that mean no cheesy porn dialogue?” Holly came up behind Dan, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing his shoulder blade. Her dick was hard and hot against his thigh, leaking through the skirt, and he ground back against her. 

“Give us something,” Suzy said, putting extra whine in her voice. Although it was pretty breathy – Dan could see Arin's fingers twisting, and his cock twitched against his belly. “Like... out of an Omegasploitation movie.” 

Dan rolled his eyes, but turned around, so he and holly were looking each other in the face. 

“That's, uh, some dick you got there.” He indicated her dick, which was leaving a wet spot on her skirt. She was pitching a tent – an obscene tent - and fuck if that wasn't one of the hottest things he'd ever seen. “It's fuckin' huge.”

“Yeah?” Holly looked down at it, biting her lip to keep from laughing. 

“I'd say it's in the top ten biggest dicks I've seen in my life, in fact.” Dan wrapped a loose hand around it, squeezing the head. 

“Yeah? I like being in top tens. Although how many dicks have you seen?” Holly moaned, her hips rocking forward, and Dan heard a moan from behind him – that was Arin. There was a wet noise, and he would bet just about anything that they were kissing. 

“Oh, a fair amount,” said Dan. He squeezed the head of her cock, then ran his palm over it. “You know how it is. Locker rooms, all that.” 

“So you know where this thing is gonna go?” Holly swiveled her hips, fucking the channel of his fist. 

"Where is it gonna go?" Dan squeezed her again, then let go, glancing back over his shoulder. 

Arin and Suzy were watching, wide eyed. Both of them had swollen lips from kissing. Suzy's hand was jerking Arin off under his shorts, and Arin's hand had moved to between Suzy's legs, stroking her through the thin, damp fabric of her panties. 

"In your butt," said Holly, and she said it in such a matter of fact way that Dan burst out laughing, curling forward. 

"Real sexy," Dan said, and he was still laughing when she bent him over the bed and slapped his ass. "That's some really sexy dialogue you go there."

"They're not complaining," said Holly, indicating Arin and Suzy, who were most definitely not in a place for complaining. 

“Shut up and stick your dick in him,” Suzy mumbled.

“Alright, alright, hold on....” Holly pulled her skirt off, leaving her completely naked (sans socks, because she was a classy lady like that), and groped around for the lube. Finding it, she drizzled a sizable amount on her fingers, sliding them into Dan's ass. 

“That's coooold,” Dan said, but he was mostly just making noise, because Arin had pulled Suzy's shirt down, and her breasts had popped out, and he wanted nothing more than to put his mouth on them, suck on her nipples until she was a moaning, panting mess.

Wow. That was gonna get weird in a few months. That was a sobering thought. 

“You just tensed up,” Holly said, and the two fingers in his ass curled, groping around for his prostate. “What's up?”

“Suzy, will your boobs be off limits when you have the babies? Will I still be allowed to play with them?” Dan's hips jerked forward, as Holly found that one good spot inside of him. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head. 

“When they're not bleeding, you can play with them,” Suzy said, sounded somewhere between exasperated and amused. “But shouldn't you be focusing on Holly right now?”

“She's right,” said Arin, and he moaned in the back of his throat, as the flat of Suzy's palm rubbed across the tip of his dick. “Although... aren't you worried about playing with my tits?” He made a sad face, that morphed into the ridiculous face that comes about with intense sexual pleasure. 

“I hadn't really thought of that,” Dan admitted. He squirmed, humping back against Holly's hand, and he looked over his shoulder at her, trying to give his best bedroom eyes. “I think I'm ready, baby.” 

“Yeah? Ready for my cock?” Holly had added a third finger. When had she added a third finger? Dan felt like he should have noticed that. 

Damn Arin. He'd corrupted Dan into the land of butt stuff, and now he barely noticed stuff. Or maybe he was distracted by the way Suzy was literally humping against Arin's hand, as Arin moaned like he was being paid for it. 

“Yeah. I'm ready for you to put your big fat dick in my ass,” said Dan, and he wriggled his butt at her, just because he could. 

Holly snorted. “You sure make it sound appealing,” she said, pressing the head of her cock against his hole. 

“Aren't Alphas supposed to get off on having their dicks called big?” Arin was listing to the side, leaning against Suzy, his hand busy under her panties. They were wet enough that they were translucent, and Dan could see his finger sinking into her. 

“Am I like other Alphas?” Holly hilted herself, slowly, until her breasts were pressing against Dan's back. 

“Well, no,” said Arin, and he licked his lips, his eyes glassy. “Are you gonna fuck him?” 

“No, she put it in me to take my temperature,” said Dan, and he arched against her, humping the bed. “This is a totally none sexual dick up my ass.”

“Quit being sarcastic. You're setting a bad example.” Holly bit Dan on the shoulder, and he whined, jerking back against her. The spark of pain traveled from his back to his balls, tightening his whole body up, which made her whimper. 

“If our offspring doesn't know s-s-sarcasm... fuck, Holly, right there.” Dan clutched at the sheets, pressing his face into the sheets. The bed was big enough that there was a decent amount of space between him and Suzy and Arin, but he didn't jump when he felt the hand on top of his head. 

“Can we not talk about the babies right now?” Suzy pulled on Dan's hair, forcing him to look up at her. She was smiling, horny and in control. “I'd rather talk about Dan taking Holly's knot.”

“There's... there's not much to t-t-talk about,” Dan gasped out, as Holly's thrusts got faster, her cock beginning to throb in time with her heart. He could feel it. He could feel the base of her cock thickening as well, brushing against his hole. 

“We could talk about how hot it is to see an Alpha taking the knot like an Omega bitch,” said Arin, and he was fucking Suzy's fist with abandon, moaning and gasping. 

“Omega bitch? Really?” Suzy pinched him on the thigh, then did something clever with her wrist, which made him breathe in so hard that he hiccuped. 

“Shut up,” Arin murmured, and is thumb diddled her clit, which made her hips jerk forward. 

Holly was hitting his prostate. She was hitting his prostate, taking deep, plunging thrusts, and she was panting, her hands clutching at his thin hips. 

“Cum in him,” Suzy whispered, and then she whined, her hips working desperately as she came around Arin's finger, her hand tightening in his hair. 

Dan moaned, and then he gasped, as Holly pushed her whole cock into him, popping her knot inside of him. She was so big, he was filled up so much, he couldn't think, he couldn't react, he just lay there, shaking and panting as she came and came, filling him with her hot cum. 

Arin managed to get cum on Dan's face. Because of course he did. He might have been aiming for it – Dan wasn't sure, as he was completely lost in the sensation of a huge fucking dick splitting him open. 

But when he did catch some of his own senses, he felt the familiar sticky warmth on his cheek, and he wrinkled his nose. 

“Really, Arin?” Dan took a breath, feeling Holly's sweaty forehead press against his back. Her hair was like feathers, and they stuck to his skin. “How are you, Hol?” 

“G-gimme a minute,” Holly murmured, her hips still twitching occasionally. There was still cum drooling out of her cock, although not at the fire hose rate it had been. 

“Mmm... fuck, Holly,” Dan murmured, and his own thrusting intensified. He ground against the bed, his dick sandwiched between his belly and the bed, humping full force, enough that the bed would have probably shook, if not for all the people on it. 

He came, spasming around Holly's knot, and Holly gasped, thrusting into him a few times, then stilling, panting. She was probably going to fall asleep. 

Dan was more or less pasted to the bed – the sheer volume of cum that came out of him since he'd begun fucking two Omegas was kind of ridiculous. He sagged against the (gross) sheets and let out a long breath. 

“Bravo,” said Arin, and he clapped, then made a face – he'd gotten cum on his clean hand. 

“We should film it next time,” Suzy said, drowsy. 

“Make sure to get my good side, at least,” said Dan, and he yawned, trying to get more of his body on the bed. 

Holly grabbed his hip and slapped his thigh. 

“Quit moving,” she said in a thick voice. 

“Sorry,” Dan murmured. “My knees are sore.” 

“It'll shrink in like fifteen minutes,” Holly murmured, and she was halfway to sleep already. 

Dan wasn't too far himself. 

“I told you we shouldn't have had them knot,” said Suzy. She grinned, patting Dan's hair. “I'll do the laundry when you're untied.”

“See that right there? That's true love.” Dan's stomach dropped as soon as he said the words, but he tried not to start laughing. Or to bolt. 

If he tried to bolt, Holly might actually kill him. 

“Glad you get the gravity of the situation,” said Arin, and he laughed, sagging back against the pillows. 

Dan took a deep breath, then let it out, willing his body to relax, willing his mind to stop galloping in circles. 

It was going to be okay. It was all going to be okay.


	14. Mistakes Were Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzy accidentally drinks something alcoholic. Dan offers to help her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has lactation.

“We should fucking sue,” Arin mumbled. He wasn’t shouting, which was a minor miracle, but he’d gotten a lot less shouty since the babies had been born. 

Rhea was in a sling on his chest, making vague sleepy noises and squirming. She was going to start fussing soon - she was hungry.

Which was the problem. 

“It’s not like they did it on purpose,” Suzy said, and she was holding Zip, cradling her to her chest. Zip was starting to whimper as well, squirming. 

“What if you were on some kind of medication that meant mixing with alcohol would kill you? Or if you had something that couldn’t take it, like Mark?” Arin kissed Rhea’s head. She was beginning to grow hair - it was a familiar reddish brown, and there were already a few new... speculations. 

But that was for another time. 

Right now, it was best to keep Arin from killing something. 

"We can deal with that another time," said Dan. "Right now, let's just... figure out how to deal with this." He slipped the diaper bag off of his shoulder and reached out for Tzipporah - for Zippy, because the name was sticking, and what is childhood, without a weird nickname. 

"This" - the fact that, even though Suzy had explicitly ordered a virgin drink, had said several times that she was breastfeeding, that she couldn't have alcohol. Had still managed to drink half the damn thing before she realized it was, in fact, full of alcohol. Which meant that, her plan to come home and feed Rhea and Zippy - not so much an option. 

Which put Arin on double duty, and Suzy with a fuckton of breast milk to get rid of. 

It was going to be an unpleasant night, and nobody was looking forward to it. 

"I still think we should sue," Arin mumbled, and he took Rhea out of her sling, cradling her. "I can at least start my human cow act," Arin grumbled, and he held both of his daughters as he made his way to their bedroom. 

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Dan rubbed his hands together, shifting from foot to foot. He was a bit... superfluous at present. 

"I need to... I don't know." Suzy covered her face. "I need to pump, I hate pumping, I feel... gross, weird...." 

"You've never had this much alcohol, have you?" Dan wrapped his arms around her, putting his chin on her head. "How did you not realize?" 

"The food was so spicy. I kinda just chugged." Suzy turned around, pressing her face into Dan's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm, like, the worst mother ever." 

"You're not the worst mother ever," Dan said soothingly. "You made a mistake. Arin can take over the nursing duty for tonight." 

"He's gonna be mad," Suzy mumbled, and her eyes were leaking. So were her breasts, although Dan didn't think she'd want to hear that at the moment. 

"Yeah, but not at you," said Dan. "You heard him ranting. He's gonna probably write them a bad Yelp review and rant about them on the show." He kissed the top of Suzy's head. "Do you wanna get the pump." 

"... I don't want to use the pump," Suzy mumbled. "I hate that thing." 

"Well, uh, you can't let our kids drink it. That's... that's dangerous." Dan rubbed Suzy's back, kissing the top of her head. "I'll get the pump."

"You could... you could do it." 

"Do what?" Dan looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. 

"You could... you know. Nurse. Since we would pitch all the extra milk anyway." She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "You, um... you did say you missed being intimate...." Her hand was on his chest, and she was smiling in what she probably thought was a seductive manner.

She looked concussed. 

"Let me ask Arin first," Dan said, walking quietly towards the baby's room. 

Arin was sitting in the rocking chair, a baby on each arm. His head was tilted back, and he looked dead exhausted. 

"What's up?" Arin glanced over. "You wanna take over?" 

"... would that even be possible?" Dan tilted his head to one side, frowning. 

"Yeah," said Arin. "Just gotta fucking... starve you. Or manually stimulate your nipples for, like, a month." 

"Sounds unpleasant," Dan said. 

"You don't say," Arin said flatly, and he winced - Zip was a bit bitey. 

"I'm sorry," Dan said. He cleared his throat, and Arin shot him a look. 

"Are you gonna actually tell me whatever is going through your head, or are you just gonna stand there and stare at me as I play dairy cow?" 

“Can I... would you be okay with me nursing from Suzy?” Dan let it all out in a rush. 

“... what?” Arin blinked, and shifted Rhea, so she could latch on better. “Why are you asking me this?”

“I dunno. I don't want you to feel left out or whatever.” Dan shoved his hands into his pockets. 

“Dan, I don't care if you full on fuck her in the ass, just let me sleep when I come in. Okay?” Arin yawned, sagging back into the rocking chair. 

“Thanks,” Dan said, and he kissed the top of Arin's head, then patted Rhea and Zip on the head, mussing up the beginnings of hair. 

Suzy was lying on the bed, propped up with pillows. She looked sleepy and uncomfortable, and her breasts were leaking through her bra and her shirt. 

“Didja get the okay?” Suzy lay back on the pillows. 

“Arin said I can fuck you in the ass, as long as we let him sleep.” Dan pulled his shirt off, and lay on the bed next to her. “Although you know, I think we're on baby minding duty for the next day or so.” 

“Or at least let him sleep in,” Suzy struggled out of her shirt, shoving it off to the side. She tried to fiddle her bra off, but no dice. 

“Let me,” said Dan, and he put a big hand on her back, first unclipping, then rubbing his warm fingers along the angry red lines on her skin. “Geez. Honey.. you need new bras.” 

“I'm not usually this... you know.” She indicated her breasts vaguely, bigger than usual, obviously painful. 

“Yeah,” Dan said. He paused. “How are we gonna do this?”

“You could... put your head in my lap?” Suzy blushed, and Dan blushed back. There was something so... intimate about this. Despite the fact he'd held her hair back when she was still throwing up from morning sickness, been with her when she gave birth, brushed his teeth next to her every morning, sang to her in the middle of the kitchen at two in the morning. 

Goes to show you – there's a bunch of different kinds of intimacy. 

“You asked me ages ago if I'd let you touch my boobs after the girls were born,” Suzy said, and she pressed her nipple against the corner of his mouth, the same way she did with Rhea or Zip, and that made it weirder. 

He chuckled, feeling silly, staring up at her. 

“What's up?” There was milk leaking out of her nipple, dripping onto his chin. 

“I don't even know,” Dan mumbled. He took her nipple into his mouth, lacking anything else to do, and started to suck. 

It tasted... it tasted deep. It tasted rich. It kind of reminded him of melted vanilla ice cream, minus the vanilla. It almost felt... buzzy. He swallowed it down, and it was... well, it was filling. That was what it was made to be, after all. 

“This feels weird,” Suzy murmured, and she stroked his hair, her hand going from the top of his head to his jaw, while he swallowed and swallowed. “Ow, teeth.” 

“Mmm?” Dan pulled back, and milk dripped down his face, dribbling down his chin.

“I can feel your teeth,” Suzy said. “It's... weird.” 

“Sorry,” Dan said, looking sheepish.”I can't... really do much with them.” He belched, and Suzy laughed.

“Hey, at least you're not gonna puke on me,” she said. 

“Hopefully not,” Dan said. “Do you want me to, uh, keep going?” 

“Yeah. There's... half left in this one?” 

Dan latched on again, his eyes fluttering closed. There was something... almost familiar about this. He sighed through his nose – it felt odd to be just sucking on a nipple, not trying to do anything with his tongue, not trying to get someone off. Just being used as a living breast pump. 

He wondered, vaguely, if he'd be able to taste the alcohol. Probably not. 

Dan drained one breast, but his stomach was protesting. He sat up and burped, nervously. 

“You have more in you?” Suzy looked down – her tits were lopsided.

“Ask Arin,” Dan murmured, lying flat on his back. He felt like he'd been scarfing down ice cream. He didn't want to move too much. 

“Ask me what?” Arin was shirtless, nipples swollen & damp, and he collapsed on the bed next to Arin. “I feel like a fucking... dairy cow. Just attach some suction cup shits to me & call it a night.”

“Moo,” Suzy said. “Would you be willing to help me not have to use the pump?”

“Why do you hate that thing so much?” Arin propped himself up on his elbow, looking from Suzy to Dan. “Dude, your mouth is a fucking mess.”

“I'm sorry. You try drinking while lying on your back,” Dan said, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. 

“It sucks too hard,” Suzy said. “I end up feeling bruised for days afterwards.” 

“Fine,” Arin said, climbing over Dan and draping himself across Suzy's lower body. His butt was in Dan's lap. “Fill 'er up.” He opened his mouth wide.

“You're fucking weird,” Suzy said. 

“I'm fucking weird and I just nursed both of our offspring, one of whom possibly has a tooth coming in, so I'll thank you to keep a respectful tone,” Arin said, his voice all sass. “C'mon. I've been curious about the appeal.”

“Just don't develop a taste for it,” Suzy said, and she squeaked when Arin took her nipple in his mouth, his hand on her breast, keeping it in place. 

“What, you worried we'd deprive our own children?” Dan leaned against Suzy, reaching down to pet Arin's hair. 

“I don't want to be lactating when they're in high school because you think it tastes good,” Suzy mumbled, and she sighed, leaning back against the pillows. 

“I dunno,” Arin said, pulling back. Milk spilled down his chin, catching in his beard. “You were saying you like having your tits this big.” He latched on again, muscles in his throat moving as he swallowed. 

“If I do, you do too,” said Suzy, then; “Ouch!” She pulled her breast out of his mouth, prodding him in the shoulder. “You bit me!”

“I didn't bite you,” said Arin. “My jaw clenched.” He looked sheepish, and he licked his lips. “Okay. Can I keep going?”

“If you end up with a fetish for this, I am gonna laugh so hard,” Dan said drowsily. He was more than halfway asleep, and Arin's warm weight was familiar and comforting. 

“Don't make it weird,” said Suzy, and Arin reached out a hand to poke Dan, still nursing. 

Dan just snorted, drifting off to sleep with his belly full, his mouth still tasting faintly like vanilla ice cream.


	15. Meet the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zip & Rhea meet some other Grumps.

“So tell me again why we’re putting our daughters on stream?” Holly adjusted Rhea in her sling, as the baby slept on.  
“Because we needed to do a stream,” said Arin, & he was holding a car seat, where Zip was knocked out. 

“Anyway, it’s time everyone met them.”

“Hasn’t everyone met them?” Suzy fumbled with the key, diaper bag slung over her shoulder.

“No,” said Dan, leaning over her to push the door open. “Jack & Vernon have been too busy, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” said Suzy. She reached over to stroke Zip’s cheek. “This should be… exciting.”

* * *

“She’s so tiny,” Barry said, & he was holding Rhea nervously, as she stared up at him with big blue eyes.

“Don’t let Suzy hear you say that,” Holly said. “You’ll get a twenty minute rant about how six pounds is a lot less small when it’s inside of you.”

Barry winced, then laughed.

Rhea, still staring at him rapt, reached out & patted his beard, trying to grab it.

“That doesn’t come off,” he told her, although she reached again.

“You’re the first beard she’s seen,” Holly said, reaching over to stroke the top of Rhea’s head, where the first few curls were starting to pop up.

“Well, I’m honored to inaugurate her to the wonderful world of facial hair,” said Barry, & he kissed her.

Rhea squealed.

* * *

“Hello, stream, & today we are debuting our newest products!” Arin held Zip out like the opening of the Lion King, & Dan made a scandalized noise.

“Our daughter is not a product!” He took her, kissing the top of her head.

“What about the other one? You do have two!”

As one, Suzy, Arin, Dan, & Holly all glared at Ross.

“I was kidding!” Ross held his hands out.

Holly snorted, then squinted at the screen.

“Hey, Jack!”

Jack looked up from his laptop. “What’s up?”

“Our viewers want to see you holding a baby.” She gestured for him to come closer, although Jack looked nervous.

“Are you sure?” He put his laptop down, & moved to sit next to Holly, as Dan moved to make room.

“If you drop her, I’ll eat your face,” said Arin, in a dead serious voice.

“I’m not gonna drop her,” Jack said, although he didn’t sound too sure of himself. He took Zip & held her, not tight enough, & she stared at him.

He stared back.

* * *

“You’re not holding her right,” Brian said, & Jack made an annoyed noise.

“Fine,” said Jack, & he indicated for Brian to take Zip.

“Hi, sweetheart,” said Brian, his voice soft. He was drowned out by Arin & Ross, who were swearing as they played a game together. “You know me.”

Zip, sucking on her fist, yawned, then cuddled into Brian’s arms, & Brian kissed the top of her head.

“This is a record,” Dan said.

“Hm?”

“Nobody’s been puked on, peed on, or gotten crap on them.” Rhea was knocked out on his chest, gripping   
tightly to his finger.

“Give it time,” Brian said, as baby drool soaked into his shirt.

* * *

“That was a good stream,” Arin said, stretching with his arms over his head. His back cracked, & Suzy winced.

“Minimal gross people,” she agreed. She paused, seeing Vernon half asleep on a bean bag. “Hey Vernon.”

“Mmm?” Vernon yawned.

“Hold her while I go to the bathroom,” Suzy said, setting Zip down on his chest.

“… ‘kay,” Vernon said, staring down into the face that was staring at his.

When Suzy came back, they were both sleeping, Vernon with his hand on Zip’s belly.


	16. Back Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arin & Holly encounter a guy at the airport. He's a bit rude.

It happened in a fucking airport.

Of course it did. This shit could never happen someplace convenient, or where there wasn't actually that much stress. No, it had to happen in an airport in the middle of the country, at the end of a con. 

It had been a good con. It had also been a long con. Holly had been feeling... more protective than usual, which was unusual - she wasn't used to... well, any of it. "Alpha bullshit," as Arin put it. 

If she was going to deal with all the irrational Alpha feelings, couldn't she at least, like, get some muscle? She wished the Alpha muscle thing wasn't just a myth. Sometimes she wanted to be big, strong. Big and strong enough to scare off anyone who hassled her Omegas.

That was the problem, wasn't it? Calling them "her" Omegas. Suzy and Arin belonged to themselves, and they were only Holly's inasmuch as anyone in any relationship is someone else's. 

But all of that was complicated and headache inducing, and Holly and Arin were in an airport, Arin with his feet up on a chair and a baleful expression. He was almost five months in, his belly just big enough to be more than a beer gut, and his head was tilted back against he chair, his eyes closed. 

Holly sat next to him, offering him apple slices and trying not to fuss. 

"Are you sure you don't want me to get you anything? I could get you a pillow, or maybe one of those neck pillow things?" She tucked a piece of his hair behind his ear, and Arin sighed, picking at an apple slice. 

"You're fussing," Arin said, his tone tired but affectionate. "I just want a shower and to sleep. Maybe a back rub." He sighed, setting his feet down and standing upright, slowly and uncomfortably. "Fuck," he grumbled, one hand on his belly. "This is getting ridiculous. 

"You're only gonna get bigger," Holly pointed out, taking Arin's carry on bag as well as her own. He'd been carrying it, and it was worrying her.

"You'll love that," Arin said lightly, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. "Then you'll actually _need_ to fuss over me all the time." 

"I dunno what you're talking about," Holly said airily, as they made their way towards the gate. 

* * * 

"Oh my god, it's Egoraptor!" 

Arin turned around, putting a smile on his face as a man almost ran towards them, skidding to a stop in front of Arin.

"Holy fuck." The guy looked at Arin's belly, then at Arin's face. "You never said you were an Omega!" 

"It's not a thing that comes up in polite conversation," Arin said dryly. "Is there something you wanted?"

Holly bit back the comment that Arin's conversations were rarely polite. She was... on edge, and she took a step closer to Arin, letting the bags rest on the floor. 

"I was gonna ask when you were gonna start animating again," the guy said. He was wearing a Starbomb shirt. Of course he was. "But, uh... that's obviously not gonna be a thing anymore, is it?" He indicated Arin's belly, and Holly clenched her teeth. The guy was standing too close. She took a step closer, and Arin grabbed her wrist, squeezing it. 

"I mean, never say never," Arin said, putting his other hand against his lower back. 

Holly felt a flash of irritation. Arin was obviously tired, obviously needed to sit down. Why was this dude taking up their time?

"I gotta admit," the guy said, looking from Arin's belly to his face, "I expected better of you."

"Excuse me?" Arin frowned. 

"That you'd throw away your talent like that, just to pop a kid out... it's such a waste." The guy huffed through his nose, and he was close enough to Arin that it ruffled the hair on Arin's forehead. 

"Excuse me?" Arin was engaging. Why was Arin engaging. He was too tired to be thinking clearly. 

"Just... throwing away all of your talent to pop out a bunch of brats. Really?" The guy was gesturing, and he was close enough that he was almost touching Arin. 

There was a rough noise beginning to fill the air, and Holly realized with a start that it was her. She was growling. She'd never actually growled before, except as a joke. She cleared her throat, and swallowed. 

"Listen, I'm gonna ask you to leave us alone," Arin said stiffly, and he took a step back. The guy took a step forward, and Holly's hand was clenching into a fist. 

“Back up,” Holly said, quietly, almost inaudibly. “Back up, back up....” It was almost a mantra, because she knew that if she stepped in, it would only make things worse.

But oh, was she tempted. 

“Isn't that Ross's wife?” The guy indicated Holly. “So not only are you throwing away your life to take care of some brat, you're also breaking up your marriage, and someone else's?” The guy brought a hand down, his fingertips brushing Arin's belly. “You make me sick!”

Holly didn't remember what happened next. At least, not the way it happened. 

The guy was standing there. Then he was on the ground. Holly's hand was throbbing, and she was vaguely aware that there was blood dripping across the top of her hand. The guy was holding on to his mouth, looking up at Holly with a terrified expression. 

Oh. She was still growling. How about that. 

“Holly.” Arin was shaking her. “Holly. Holly, come on. We have to go talk to the airport security.” 

“He touched you,” Holly said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She was still growling. 

* * * 

They didn't handcuff her, but it was a near thing. She was sat in a small room, and questioned. When she mentioned that the guy had been too close to Arin, she started growling, and the person questioning her gave her a knowing look. 

“Are you an Alpha?” 

Holly blushed. It was... that was an uncomfortable thing to talk about with someone who wasn't currently sleeping with her.

“... yes,” said Holly. 

“So this guy got too close to your Omega – that's your baby, right?” 

Holly nodded, keeping her eyes on her hands. Her knuckle had been busted by the guy's tooth. 

“and you couldn't handle yourself?” 

Holly nodded again.

“Well,” said the security officer. “I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to not return to this airport again. You'll have an escort to sit with you until the plane leaves.”

Holly nodded mutely, her heart hammering in her chest. 

Arin was waiting for her, and he was frowning. She'd never seen him this angry at a person before. 

“The fuck was that?” He was carrying his bag, and he gave her a Look when she made to take it from him. 

“He was... he was too close. He needed to back up,” Holly mumbled. “and he was... he was being nasty.”

“You didn't think I could handle that myself?” He was walking surprisingly fast. “You had to pull that stupid Alpha bullshit?” 

“I'm sorry,” Holly said, her voice quiet, as she followed after him. Their escort was almost running after them.

“I don't like that Alpha bullshit,” Arin said, stopping by their gate. “If you start pulling that....” He shook his finger at her, and something inside of her crumbled up. “I'm not having that environment around my family. Do you understand?” 

“... I thought I was your family,” Holly mumbled, looking down at her feet. She felt a bit like she couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't stand. She was on the way to a panic attack. Interesting. 

Arin made a frustrated noise. He dropped his bag and wrapped his arms around her, inasmuch as he could, with his belly pressed against hers. 

“I love you,” he told her, pressing his forehead against hers. “I love you so much it's scary sometimes. It will kill a part of me to kick you out of my life. But if you go around punching people... I can't have that in my life.”

Holly was crying. She was fucking crying, oh god. Actual tears dripping down her face, and her chin was wobbling... she had never been a pretty crier, and now was no different. 

“Shh, shh, fuck, oh no.” Arin cupped her face with both hands, thumbing the tears off of her face. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so harsh.” 

Holly sucked in a breath, shaking. “It's the truth, though,” she told him, her voice snuffly. “I.. I don't know what came over me. I've never been that... aggressive. I don't want to be a person who punches people, that's just... not right. Not me.”

“You've never had a pregnant Omega before,” Arin pointed out gently. “I know some Alpha bullshit is just kind of... built in.” He kissed her, gently, softly, and she kissed him back, still crying. “Maybe you should talk to Dan about it? He's got a bit more practice.”

Holly sighed, sniffed, wiped her nose from a tissue in her pocket. “Are you... really going to kick me out?” 

“No,” Arin said sharply. “Unless you punch someone else.” He paused. “Please don't punch anyone else.'

“Okay,” Holly said.

They both made a surprised noise, Arin in something like pain, Holly in shock. 

“Oh,” said Arin, and he pressed a hand against the side of his belly. “Oh, fuck, there's someone in there.” 

“Hi,” Holly said, her hand on Arin's belly. “Oh my god. There's really someone in there.” 

The baby shifted against her hand, and Arin made a noise. 

“This totally takes away from me being mad, doesn't it?” His voice was soft, almost in wonder. 

“It's okay,” Holly mumbled. “I'll try to.. reel the Alpha bullshit in.” 

He kissed her, and the baby kicked against her belly.


	17. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzy, Dan, & Arin's first time together. Suzy & Arin are curious about a few things.

Dan was kissing Arin when Suzy walked in.

Dan sprang back, and even as he did it, he felt a bit stupid. Why was he doing that? He'd been with both of them before, albeit separately. He'd talked to both of them, separately, about doing a three way... thing. So why was he so nervous.

"Is my breath that bad?" Arin smiled up at Dan, and he looked nervous.

Dan looked from Arin's face to Suzy, who was now leaning against the back of the couch, resting her weight on her arms.

"Hi, Scuze," said Dan, and he smiled at her, sheepish.

"Why'd you get up? You looked pretty comfy." She grinned at him, and she wasn't mad, she wasn't jealous, she just looked amused.

"Sorry," Dan said. "I'll, uh, I'll be honest... this is kinda weird."

"What, being ganged up on by Omegas?" When Dan sat down, Arin wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. He was smiling, eyes half lidded.

"Two people," said Dan, and he made a startled noise when Suzy sat on his lap, her legs draped over Arin's lap. Dan was startled enough to put his hands around her waist, and she leaned against him, her forehead against his jaw.

She was holding Arin's hand .

"I thought you'd been in threesomes before," said Arin, and the hand not holding Suzy's went to the back of Dan's head, sinking into the thick hair, his fingertips gently kneading at Dan's scalp.

"Well, yeah, but that's a threesome." Dan let go of Suzy's waist to put his hand on Arin's thigh. "This is... different."

"Were the ladies you had the threesome with Omegas?" Suzy's breath was ticklish against his cheek.

"Oh, fuck no. I didn't actually have sex with an Omega until I met you guys." Dan looked down at their hands, embarrassed. "I was afraid of... you know, knocking someone up."

"You're not afraid of knocking us up?" Dan didn't have to look to know that Arin was raising his eyebrow.

"... if it happens, it happens," Dan said, aware of how awkward he sounded. He... he desperately wanted a baby. But he wasn't about to tell them that. It'd be too weird.

He'd had this conversation with both of them, individually. About the whys and the wherefores, should "something" happen. Something that was probably going to happen, because let's be real.

Alphas and Omegas are known as "breeders" for a reason.

There was an awkward silence, and then Arin cleared his throat.

"So, uh... I'd like to keep kissing you." He let go of Suzy's hand to cup Dan's cheek, his thumb against Dan's cheekbone.

"With Suzy here?" Dan licked his lips - she was still pressing her forehead against his jaw, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"Sure," Suzy murmured. "I've liked what I've seen so far."

"Okay," Dan mumbled. He blushed - he'd never kissed for an audience before.

Arin's lips were familiar - bristly, a little bit dry. Soft, warm. His hand was also familiar on the back of Dan's head, and he was so warm.

and then there was Suzy. Suzy was in his lap, and she was warm and squirming, and she was breathing down his neck, pressing her tits up against his chest, and this was becoming... so much.

Arin's tongue was wet and familiar, and Suzy's hand s were small and soft on the back of his head, and both of their breathing felt a bit like coming home, which was scary.

Arin pulled back, and he grabbed for Suzy, pulling her closer, kissing her with the easy familiarity that comes from years and years. A pang of something like jealousy woke up in his chest, and he pushed it away. They were willing to share him, and share with him.

"Dan," Suzy mumbled against Arin's lips. "Dan."

"Hm?" Dan shook his head, trying to get out of the daze he had fallen into. "What's up?"

"Touch me," Suzy said. "Please." There was a breathless quality to her voice, and that was familiar.

"Right," said Dan, and he slid his hand up her sweater, across the soft warmth of her belly, to the lace cups of her bra. He squeezed her breast through the lace as she kissed her husband , pressing his thumb against her nipple.

He was rewarded with a gasp and a moan, and he grinned.

"Fuck," Arin mumbled, pulling back. "That's fucking hot." He shoved Dan and Suzy's heads towards each other, and they almost bumped together. "Now kiss."

“Really?” Suzy rolled her eyes. “That's how you're gonna ask?”

“You wanna do it anyway,” Arin pointed out, and okay, so he was right about that. But still.

“You're making me feel like a fucking... action figure,” Dan said, “or a fucking... My Little Pony doll.”

“I mean, if you want, we could totally make that a scene,” Suzy said. “I know where to get a good bit gag, and we've got enough wigs that you could probably find a good one....”

“I was kidding,” Dan said quickly “Although the speed of your response has me a bit worried.”

“What, that the couple you're dating is kinkier than you thought they were?” Suzy looked scared, as soon as the word “dating” came out of her mouth, and some part of Dan wanted to bolt. But no. If they were going to be a thing, they were gonna be a Thing.

“Something like that,” Dan said lightly, and then he began to kiss up her neck, nipping her right over her pulse, then sucking a line of kisses down her jaw.

Suzy actually sagged with relief against him, and then she moaned, because Arin was pushing her sweater up, baring her lace covered breasts to the world. Well, okay, the living room. But it was part of the world.

Dan's head was spinning. He was sort of kind of narrating in his brain, and that was making it weird, but he wasn't sure how to turn it off.

Suzy's pushed him to the side, then latched onto his neck, and she was leaving actual hickies – he could tell. Her teeth were strong and her mouth was stronger, and he moaned, losing whatever train of thought he'd been taking off the cliff, just losing himself in the feeling of her mouth on his neck and her breast in his hand . 

Suzy was grinding against him, and Arin was pressing closer to him, kissing along the other side of his neck, and Dan was legitimately worried he might cum in his pants. Or, you know, die. Either worked. Or didn't work. 

Arin grabbed Dan’s hand and shoved it between his legs, so that Dan was pressing his hand against Arin’s erection, squeezing it through the thin fabric of his sweat pants. Arin moaned into Dan’s throat, his hips shifting forward, which made Suzy clutch at Dan’s shirt to keep from getting knocked off. 

“Fuck, Dan,” Arin mumbled. 

“I mean, if you want,” said Dan, grinning sideways at Arin. “But I’ve only got one dick. So I can’t fuck both of you at the same time.” He wrapped his fingers around the shaft of Arin’s cock through his pants, beginning to jerk it off clumsily, because he liked the way Arin would whine and moan at the stimulation that wasn’t enough. 

“I’ve got special plans for your dick,” said Arin, shoving his pants down. His cock sprang out, heavy and curving down. 

“Because that’s not ominous,” Dan said, wrapping his hand around Arin’s cockand beginning to jerk him off in slow, easy strokes. 

Suzy snickered, as Dan plucked at her nipples with his other hand . It was a bit like trying to rub your belly and pat your head at the same time, until he got into a rhythm of it. 

“Mmm, Danny, if you’re gonna jerk him off, can you jerk me off, too?” Suzy gave him big eyes, like she was asking him for a puppy or another scoop of ice cream, instead of asking for his hand down her pants. 

“While it sounds like a nice idea, I don’t want to break my wrist,” said Dan, trying to get between her legs and bending his arm at an uncomfortable angle.

“Yeah, hold on a sec.” Suzy disentangled herself from the two of them, and while she was doing so, Arin grabbed Dan’s hair and kissed him again, moaning into his mouth as Dan gave him a hand job, the exact way that Arin loved.

Dan was a quick learner. 

They were still kissing when Suzy straddled Dan, and she took his hand , pressing it between her legs, over the crotch of her panties. Her skirt rode up around her hips, and her panties were black and lacy, already slimy to the touch and leaving a wet spot on Dan’s belly, when she pressed against him, going back to marking his neck up as Arin kissed Dan silly.

“Isn’t that nice,” Arin murmured against Dan’s mouth. “Isn’t that just… wonderful?” 

Dan pulled back, nearly getting Suzy in the nose, and blinked at Arin, confused. “Are you… upset?” He usually had more luck reading Arin, but, well… he was pretty worked up at that moment in time.

“I’m stupid because my fucking hot wife and my fucking hot… you are making out in front of me, and you’re jerking me off with your stupid awesome hands,” Arin grumbled, “I’m… I’m gonna cum soon, what the fuck, Dan.”

“I’m sorry for giving you an orgasm, Arin,” Dan said with a straight face, as his hand wormed its way under Suzy’s skirt. It was his left hand , which made things feel a bit weird - he usually did sexual stuff with his right hand - but finding her clit was easy, pushing her panties to the side was easy, sliding his fingers along her labia and watching her face was dreadfully easy.

“Oh god, Dan,” Suzy almost sobbed, her hips jerking forward, “please, I need… I need your fingers in me.” 

“Gimme a sec,” Dan said, grinning in spite of himself. She was adorable when she was sexually frustrated and demanding. Or maybe he just had it really bad for her. 

“Don’t keep her waiting,” said Arin. “Maybe she’ll lose patience with you and get out her pretty purple strap on.” 

Dan shivered, not entirely sure how he felt about that. He’d taken things up his butt - if by things you meant Arin’s dick, fingers, and mouth - but the idea of Suzy with a strapon wasn’t… entirely unappealing. 

“Has she used it on you, then?” Dan slid two fingers into Suzy, finding her wet and desperate already, her clit a hard nub under his thumb. She squeezed him, desperately, and she gasped when he curled his long fingers inside of her, his knuckles stretching her out as he bent them. 

“Duh,” Arin said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Have you SEEN Suzy? She’s fucking hot no matter what she does.”

“No, Arin. I’ve never seen Suzy. I’m just knuckle deep in her pussy, but I’ve never seen her.” Dan twisted his wrist as he closed his fist around the head of Arin’s cock, 

“Don’t be a smart ass,” Arin said, breathless. 

“Really? I thought you liked his ass.” Suzy wriggled against him, spreading her legs wider, and he added another finger, continuing to curl his fingers right against her g spot, as her thighs began to shake. “Fuck, Dan….”

“You gonna cum, babe?” Arin sounded so calm for a guy who was getting his cock jerked. “Gonna cum all over Dan’s fingers, leave ‘em all pruney?” 

“Yeah,” Suzy mumbled. “You think you can hold off until I cum? See how messy we can get Dan.”

“Hey,” Dan protested, as his thumb rotated on her clit and his three fingers spread her out, pressing against her g-spot. “Is this just some elaborate ploy to get me naked?” 

“My darling,” Suzy said, breathless and red faced, “has it occurred to you that everything we do is a plot to get you naked?” 

“You need a new hobby,” said Dan, and he felt Arin’s hand move across his chest, to Suzy’s breast, twisting her nipple. 

The seemed to set her off - she cried out, pressing closer to him, her face pressed into his neck as she came, in a gush of fluid and a great deal of muscle contractions. She was still shaking when Arin came, one hand gripping the couch cushions, the other one still holding on to Suzy’s tit. 

“Welp.” Dan looked down at his lap. His shirt and crotch were covered in squirt, as was his lap, and his wrist was dripping cum onto Arin’s ankle. 

“You should take your pants off,” said Arin, when he caught his breath. He slid on the floor in front of Dan, pausing to lean forward and kiss Suzy’s bare ass.

She squealed and laughed, climbing off of him to sit next to Arin on the floor, staring up at Dan.

“I feel like I’m in an Omegasploitation movie,” said Dan. “Like you’re both gonna start begging for my knot and my seed.” He snickered - how could anyone take that seriously? “You gonna cling to my legs with an adoring expression?”

“If I ever actually beg for your seed, check for a head injury,” Suzy said, palming his cock through his jeans. 

“Mmm… fair enough,” Dan said, aware it wasn’t much of a response, but not particularly caring in that moment. He wanted to put his hand s on their heads, but both of them had… well, drying jizz. He didn’t think anyone wanted vag gunk or semen in their hair. 

“I dunno,” Arin said, and he yanked Dan’s pants down, temporarily dislodging Suzy’s hand . He took Dan’s boxers with him, and Dan’s cock bobbed in front of both of their faces, as they moved closer, forcing Dan to spread his legs even more. “I mean, here’s a thing I never understood.”

“What’s a thing you never understooood, oh fuck….” Dan pressed a hand to his own face, pressing down on his mouth. It smelled like Suzy.

Suzy, who was between his legs, her tongue swirling across the head of his cock. 

“Why does everyone seem to assume that Omegas are the ones who follow around Alphas with adoring expressions?” Arin took Dan’s balls in his hand and squeezed them, rolling them in his palm, almost contemplatively. “I mean, all of my experience with Alphas is that they just kind of… desperately moon around Omegas and hope.”

“How much experience do you have with Alphas?” Dan rocked his hips forward, trying to get more of his cock into Suzy’s mouth, but no dice - she was holding on to his cock, and only concentrating on the head. 

If she kept that up, he might just cum in two seconds, which would be embarrassing. Arin would never let him hear the end of it. 

“Dude,” said Arin, and he shot Dan a look, squeezing his balls a bit harder than necessary. “I grew up an Omega, dating an Omega. What do you think?”

“I mean, you never know,” Dan mumbled. “Maybe you had a great love affair with an Alpha when you were young and innocent.”

Arin snorted. “Nah. You’re my first Alpha.” He pressed a kiss to Dan’s inner thigh, as Suzy’s head bobbed up and down next to him. 

“But my point….” He bit Dan’s thigh, and Dan jerked forward, the bit of pain making his dick twitch. “My point is… you Alphs are a lot more beholden to us Omegas.”

Suzy pulled off of Dan’s cock with a “pop,” making Dan whimper.”Since when do you use words like “beholden.”?” 

“Shush,” Arin said, and he took Dan’s cock in hand , swallowing it down, taking almost all of it into his mouth. 

Suzy snickered, and then she looked up at Dan with an expression that was so innocent it had to be covering something up. “Hey, Dan?”

“Mmm?” It was hard to concentrate, with Arin’s hot mouth and wet tongue wriggling against his cock. It was hard to do much of anything but take it.

Arin had a point. He very much had a point, and Dan wasn’t sure if he was embarrassed or amused. He would do just about anything for Suzy and Arin, although how much of that was him being an Alpha, and how much of it was just him being in love with them?

… that was a thought he was going to follow much later, because… yeah. No. that was a bit too… something. 

“Can I ask a favor?” Suzy wrapped her hand around the base of Dan’s cock, squeezing it. 

Dan’s hips twitched forward - his knot was still inside of him, but if Arin kept it up… well, it’d be out pretty soon. 

“S-sure,” said Dan, smiling at her in what he hoped was a friendly way, trying not to let his eyes roll back into his head. How had Arin gotten so good at sucking dick?! Nobody learned it that quickly, did they?

“I’ve never actually seen an Alpha’s knot… like, come out. Or in person.”

Dan raised an eyebrow. “You took my knot last week,” he pointed out. He made a disappointed noise when Arin pulled off of his cock. 

“Well, yeah.” Arin said. “But Suzy doesn’t have eyes on her pussy, and I don’t have any in my ass.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Dan said, “with how far your head is up your - “

Suzy pinched Dan’s thigh, and he yelped. 

“Can we see it? Please?” Suzy gave him puppy dog eyes. “Like, close up.”

“... sure,” said Dan. Somehow, through all the time they’d been fucking, they had never really stopped &... looked at him, for lack of a better way of putting it. It had always been desperation, or someone in heat, which was desperation, only more so. 

“How do we get your knot to come out?” Arin licked his lips. “I um… I know that you can cum without it popping.”

“Yeah,” said Dan, and he wrapped his own hand around his cock, squeezing it and jerking it quickly, desperately. “I, uh… the knot makes me cum a lot.”

“But I thought that Alphas came because their knots were stimulated,” said Suzy, and she looked genuinely interested. It kind of made Dan feel like one of her bugs pinned to a piece of paper. 

“I can cum without my knot coming out,” Dan said, and he was breathing heavily, his thighs tensing up. The pleasure shooting through him was making his toes curl and his breath come in short, desperate gasps. “S-sorry. I don’t try to get it out much when I jerk off.”

“Why? You said it made you cum a lot.” Arin leaned back to avoid getting punched in the face as Dan’s fist moved faster, his hips rocking up. 

“Yeah. I can cum like a Beta when I don’t have my knot out,” said Dan. “It’s the knot that makes me kinda… fire hose.” 

“So you don’t like the clean up?” Suzy stroked a hand down his thigh, and then she gasped, because his knot was swelling up at the base of his cock, thick and dark red. “Oh!”

“Basically,” Dan said. “and , uh… it takes a lot out of me.” He smiled, self conscious. “If I wanna do, like… anything for three hours after I jerk off, no dice.” 

“Huh,” said Arin, and he squeezed Dan’s knot. “That doesn’t seem very efficient.” 

“Yeah, ‘cause being nothing but a horny mess for three days a month is totally efficient,” said Dan. 

“Three days nothing,” said Suzy, and she licked the head of Dan’s cock, wrapping her fingers around Arin’s and squeezing harder. 

Dan gasped, his hips jerking forward and his hands tangling in his own hair, pulling it. “Fuck.” 

“I’ve never actually, like… examined a knot,” Arin said, and he got up on his knees, planting his elbow on Dan’s knee and pushing Dan’s cock down, so that he could look at the knot closer. “It’s… it looks weird.”

“Well, your face looks weird,” said Dan, without much venom. “Haven’t you ever watched porn?” 

“Yeah, but it’s not the same.” Arin’s fingertips were gentle as they pressed against Dan’s knot, and Dan moaned, his hips jerking forward. 

“If I were you, I’d, uh… I’d be careful,” said Dan. His face was red, and he was aware, in a distant sort of way, that he was panting. 

“Why?” Suzy squeezed again, harder, and Dan’s whole body shuddered. 

“T-to be blunt? If you keep that off I’m gonna go off like a firehose.”

“Oh, my,” said Suzy, and she grinned. Still grinning, she looked up at him, and took his cock in her mouth, swallowing it down and squeezing his knot rhythmically. 

Just like her cunt did. 

Oh god. 

Dan got a little lost after that. There were two different mouths on his cock, someone was squeezing his knot, someone else had their mouth on his balls, then his shaft again, then it was… it was... . 

“I’m gonna cum,” Dan gasped out. “Get… get a bottle or… fuck… or….” He was groaning, his hands wrapped around his own face, pressing into his lips. “Fuck, oh god….” 

“Give it to me,” Arin said. “Give it to us.” He was jerking Dan now, and Suzy was holding his knot in both of her hands and squeezing it, and now the familiar pull of his balls and the clenching in his gut was happening, he was going to cum, it was going to be… it was….

The pressure in his belly - and his balls - snapped, and he was cumming, harder than he’d ever come from jerking of, his hips jerking and his hands clutching at his own hair as the icy sweet, almost painful pleasure tingled through his groin, out of his cock.

“Oh my god!” Arin was actually laughing as Dan’s cum spurted out, thick ropes of it across his face, his chest. He aimed Dan’s cock at Suzy, and it got her too, making her makeup run and dripping down her chest. He painted her chest pearlescent, and she pointed his dick back at Arin, where it dripped down his chin, clotting in his beard. 

It was some time before he stopped cumming, and he slumped back against the couch, his eyes closing. Fuck, that always took it out of him. Usually it was in the midst of a heat induced frenzy, but this… not so much. Just Suzy and Arin messing around. 

“I’m glad you’re not in heat.” Dan yawned, cum dripping onto his belly as Arin let go of it. 

“Yeah? Why?” Suzy looked down at her chest, which was already starting to dry. She made a face, and Dan had to grin in spite of himself. She looked a bit like a wet cat. 

“Feels more… thing. Meaningful.” Dan fell sideways, his mind already beginning to fog over with exhaustion. “Like we actually…,” he yawned, “like each other. Not just… driven by… hormones ‘n shit.” 

“Makes sense,” Arin said, and he made to hug Dan. 

Dan made a face. 

“You’re covered in jizz,” he told Arin, his eyes half closed. 

“It’s YOUR jizz,” Arin pointed out. “Aren’t you Alphas into your Omegas smelling like you?” 

Dan paused. His Omegas. They were his Omegas. Sort of. Um. 

“Well, yeah,” Dan said, “b-b-but… not when you’re all… sticky.”

“Come shower,” said Suzy, standing up. She did smell like him - like his cum, and his musk, and his shampoo. It was all mixed up in the other smells - Arin’s cum, Arin’s breath, Dan’s laundry detergent….

He fell asleep before they could drag him to the bathroom, and they eventually gave up on getting him to wake up, instead just throwing a towel over him.

It had been an educational day. Arin looked forward to more… education in the near future. 

Although maybe next time they’d put a tarp down.


	18. Trying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian invites Dan for a... weekend visit.

“Daniel, might I have a word?” Brian’s voice was stiff, which was unusual. Usually he was the one who was making everyone else uncomfortable. Him looking this on edge was… strange, to be sure. 

“What’s up?” Dan looked up from his laptop, brushing hair out of his eyes. 

“My Alpha is going to be out of town next week. So is my wife, with Audrey.” He rubbed his hands together, and Dan raised an eyebrow. Brian was fidgeting - that was definitely a new one. “Would you like to come over?”

“Sure. We’ve been meaning to have a lyric -” 

“That’s not what i meant.” Brian leaned closer, and cleared his throat. “I’m going to be going into heat,” he said. “I… you offered. The last time.” 

Dan blushed. He knew that… babies wouldn’t be a problem (thank god, two on the way was more than enough), but… Brian? 

It wasn’t like he hadn’t had fantasies. Brian was hot, in a professor kind of way, and he’d been hitting on Dan since they’d met each other. So. Why not?

“Let me, uh… check my schedule,” said Dan. “I’ll get back to you.”

* * * 

“What, seriously? Brian asked you for a weekend of passion?” Arin rested his plate on his belly, chewing his sandwich. He was queasy all the time, so the rare times he had an appetite, he tended to pig out. He had gotten big enough that he couldn’t really use his lap anymore. 

“Not even a weekend,” said Dan. “Like, a night.” 

“Go for it,” said Arin, licking crumbs off of his fingers. “When was the last time you got to knot, anyway?” 

“You know I’m not bothered by that,” Dan said ,and he got on his knees in front of Arin, his face pressed against Arin’s belly. He kissed it, and whispered something to the baby in it, something secret. 

“Yeah, but still.” Arin rested a hand on Dan's head, scratching gently. “I’m not gonna begrudge you something fine.” He sat up, with some effort. “Apart from coffee. I will end you if you drink coffee.” 

“You’ll survive,” Dan said, fishing his phone out one handed, the other on Arin’s belly. 

“Fuck you.” 

“Isn’t that what got us into this mess?” 

* * * 

Dan stood in front of Brian’s front door. He hadn’t brought any flowers, because… well, this was Brian. But he’d brought beer. He knew what kind of beer Brian liked. And it’s always polite to bring someone a gift when they’re in physical distress, or when they’re doing you a favor, right?

This was kind of both of those. Sort of. 

Brian answered the door, in sweatpants and an old shirt, and holy fuck. He smelled… whoa. 

Dan swallowed thickly. “B-before I come in,” Dan said thickly. “Are you… what are you consenting to?” There was something almost ritualistic about this, but it was important. Maybe that was what made it ritualistic? 

“I’m consenting to whatever you have to dish out,” Brian said flatly. He was sweating, panting, and he looked extremely uncomfortable. He was giving hormones like a humidifier, and Dan just wanted to shove his face into Brian’s neck. 

… sort of.

Because this felt different then with Arin or Suzy - Brian didn’t smell as good as them. Maybe it was because he was sterile? No, that wasn’t it. Maybe because… well, he was used to those two. They were both carrying his baby. Okay, maybe one of them was carrying Holly’s baby, maybe Suzy was carrying Arin’s baby, but still. 

They were his babies, because they were his people. 

But Brian did smell amazing, right in front of him, and Dan wanted to make sure.

“Thank you,” Dan managed to gasp out, as he held the beer out like an offering. 

“Really?” Brian raised a eyebrow, and Dan made a face. 

“I’m trying to be nice,” Dan said, and he stepped into the house. Brian closed the door after him.

“It’s appreciated,” Brian said, awkward with emotional sincerity. “How about we cut the small talk and go upstairs?” 

“Fair enough,” said Dan, and he followed after Brian, trying not to press his face forward into Brian’s back. Fuck, he smelled so good….

* * * 

Dan sat on the guest bed, watching as Brian got naked. He himself was barefoot and shirtless, his cock hard and throbbing in his jeans. He ran a hand through his hair, watching Brian, until Brian stood directly in front of him, naked and seemingly fearless. 

“Well?” 

“Well what?” Dan stood up, looking down at Brian.

“Are you gonna start fucking me?” 

“I figured we could have some, you know, foreplay,” said Dan. 

Brian was remarkably put together for someone as horny and hormonal as he was. Then again, this was Brian. The guy could probably keep a straight face while being tickled and having his fingernails torn off.   
“I’m already aroused,” said Brian, indicating his erection. There was slick dripping down his legs. 

“That’s not the point,” said Dan, frustrated. “It’s… we’re more than just animals, you know?” He cautiously reached out, putting his hands on Brian’s shoulders. “I mean, if you want this to be all business, I guess I could do that, but.. that’s not how I normally do it.”

“How do you normally do it?” Brian’s breath was ruffling Dan’s hair, and their chest were touching. 

“Do you want me to show you?” Dan, taking a risk, put a hand on the back of Brian’s head, cupping his skull. 

“I’m not looking for a romantic relationship,” Brian said firmly. “I’ve got an Alpha, and I’m married.”

“They don’t mind you doing this with me?” 

“Nope. We talked about it.” 

“But, uh… kissing and stuff like that, I don’t see it as a preamble to romance. It’s just kinda how you do this kinda thing, you know?” Dan took a step back, twisting a piece of hair around his finger. This was… weird. Talking about it this much made it weirder.   
“Alright.” Brian took a step forward, so they were chest to chest, and he kissed Dan, putting his hands on Dan’s hips.

This was familiar, at least. 

Dan kissed Brian back, feeling stubble, tasting the sandwich Brian had eaten, and his breath. Brian wasn’t a bad kisser, and Dan moved his hands to Brian’s back, cupping his shoulder blades, pulling him closer. 

This was going to be okay. 

* * * 

Brian was in Dan’s lap. He had his hands on Dan’s shoulders, and he was grinding, his cock out of his sweatpants and wet against Dan’s belly. 

“Avidan, you’re fucking killing me,” Brian mumbled against Dan’s ear, as Dan jerked him off slowly, almost lazily. “Aren’t you supposed to be all three minutes of ecstasy?” 

“I’m not Sexbang right now,” Dan said, and his voice was surprisingly gentle. “Shut up and enjoy yourself.” He kept kissing along Brian’s jaw, pausing to suck on his earlobe, just to make him jerk forward.

“This isn’t how I usually do it,” Brian murmured. 

“Well… I’m not your Alpha. Or your wife. So I’m doing this my own way.” He kissed along Brian’s neck, careful - biting an Omega’s neck sent.. messages that he didn’t want to send. 

“Oh, enough of this.” Brian shoved Dan onto his back, fiddling with Dan’s belt. 

“Are you always this subtle?” Dan propped himself up on his elbows as Brian yanked his pants down. 

“Jesus, Dan.” Brian stared down, one eyebrow raised. 

“Dude, you’ve seen me with a boner before,” said Dan, somewhat amused. “Why the look of wonder.”

“I never considered that boner going into me,” Brian said, reaching his hand back between his legs, fingering himself open. 

“Let me do that,” Dan said, sitting up.

“No,” said Brian. No explanation, no apology, no “I like my own fingers better” or whatever. Just “No.” 

Well, it wasn’t like he wasn’t allowed to just say no. Still. 

It was a very Brian thing to do.

So Dan watched as Brian fingered himself, his hand going to his own cock and pumping it slowly, because… well, fuck, this was kind of hot. 

“Now….” Brian straddled Dan’s lap, grabbing Dan’s dick with his hand, positioning it where it was needed. 

Dan groaned as Brian slowly slid down his cock, tight and wet and hot, squeezing him tightly and just taking him in. There was… well, there was a lot to take in. 

“There was go,” Brian said thickly. “That’s… what I needed.” 

“So, uh, Brian, weird question.” Dan brought his hands to Brian’s hips, squeezing them. 

“Is now REALLY the time for that?” Brian rolled his hips, and Dan moaned, throwing his head back. 

“F-fair,” said Dan, already distracted by how good Brian felt. He wasn’t going to last long - he hadn’t really mounted someone like this since Arin and Suzy weren’t up for being knotted lately, and Holly didn’t usually want it in the first place. 

Brian just… sat on him. Took it all in, in one go, then began to roll his hips. He was completely in control. Dan couldn’t move, as pinned as he was, with his feet on the floor and his hands on the bed - all he could do was hold on for the ride. 

“Oh….” Brian tilted his head back, his eyes squeezing shut, and Dan kept his eyes on Brian’s face, because… fuck. This was amazing. This was… weird, but amazing. 

It was fucking Brian.

Literally. 

“S-so what did you want to ask me?” 

Dan groaned, clinging to the bed. “Now?!” 

“Now what?” Brian did something wriggly with his hips, and Dan’s knot popped out, making Dan’s eyes cross. “Jesus, Dan, I didn’t know your knot was that thick.”

“You d-didn’t believe me when I said it was?” Dan’s chest was rising and falling as he panted, so close, almost there, Brian was squeezing his knot, his whole body was tensing up, he was… he…. 

Dan came with a gasp and a whimper, and it was almost painful, his whole body shaking and tensing as he shot load after load of hot cum into Brian, deep and hard, and Brian was moaning as well, his cock spurting across Dan’s chest, leaving it sticky. 

Everyone was really sticky. 

“So w-what was that question you wanted to ask me?” Brian relaxed, nearly falling off of Dan’s lap, and Dan yelped, as his knot was pulled uncomfortably. They were tied for a good few minutes. 

“Why… why do you go into heat. If you don’t have a… thingy.” Dan yawned. After an orgasm like that, exhaustion always hit like a hammer. 

“Hormones,” said Brian, his voice a bit dazed. “Do you want to take a shower?” 

“Mmm,” Dan murmured, already drifting to sleep. 

* * * 

“So how was it?” Suzy sat on the toilet seat as Dan showered, washing Brain’s scent off of him. He had showered at Brian’s place, but it felt weird wearing another Omega’s heat smell around his two… mates. 

Yeah. He had mates. He might as well just acknowledge it, as embarrassing as it was. 

“I’m… not sure,” said Dan. His groin was comfortably sore, and his cock was… quite well used. They had gone at it at least five times, and Dan didn’t know if he had any cum left in him. 

“Would you do it again?” Suzy grunted trying to get comfortable. “Urgh. I’m still so queasy.”

“I’ll get you some crackers when I get out,” Dan said, rinsing his hair carefully, the water sluicing down the drains. 

“You’re the best,” said Suzy. She paused, and it was obvious she was trying to figure out how to frame a thing. “Do you think you’ll ever… you know, want to be a thing with him?” 

“Not a thing-thing,” said Dan, turning the water off. “But I’d be good keeping him company.” He pulled the shower on and groped around for a towel. 

Suzy handed it to him. 

“I”m glad you had fun,” she said, and she stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “More exciting than us, at any rate.” 

“Nonsense,” said Dan, leaning down and kissing her on the forehead. He put one hand on her belly. “You’re tons of fun.” He yawned. “Although I need a nap.”

Suzy laughed.


	19. Bigger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who has the bigger knot?

"So you want me to just whip it out?" Dan kept his head on Arin's shoulder, his hand on his belly. 

The baby was squirming - it was going to be as fidgety as Arin was, from what Dan could gather. 

"No," said Arin. "I want both of you to whip it out!" 

"... why?" Holly was on Arin's other side, her cheek pressed against his belly, holding his hand. 

"You're Alphas. Aren't you supposed to want to take your dick out at any point in time?" Arin's hand was in Holly's hair, stroking it off of her forehead, twisting it around his fingers. 

"I mean, it can be argued that our dicks have done their job," Holly said sleepily, kissing Arin's belly, then Arin's hand. 

"Aren't you supposed to be tirelessly horny and want to stick your dick into anything?" Arin stretched, his back cracking, and then he groaned, sinking back into the couch. "Fuck, I am so tired of being pregnant." 

"Are you trying to guilt us into showing you our dicks because we're the reason you're pregnant? That's a low blow, man." Dan sat up, arching his own back, his arms over his head. 

"What the heck," Holly said philosophically. pulling her skirt up and her panties down. Her soft cock sat there in a pile. "We're not doing anything tonight." 

"That was the plan in the first place," said Dan, unbuckling his pants and shoving them down around his thighs. Excalibur was soft, right up against his thigh. He pulled it out, and looked down at it. "Happy?"

"Can you guys sit next to each other?" Arin scooted over, and Holly sat up so she wasn't pushed into the arm of the couch. 

"I feel like you have ulterior motives," Holly said dryly, standing up, then moving to sit next to Dan. She snuggled against him when he put his arm around her shoulders. 

"Possibly," said Arin. "I haven't see my own dick in like two months. I want to see some, at least." 

"You're such a weirdo," Dan said. He indicated his lap. "That's my dick. That's her dick."

"Which one is bigger?" Arin licked his lips, shifting on the couch so that his legs were on the cushions, curled under him. 

"I don't know," Dan said. "It's not like I go around comparing dicks." 

"Yours is," Holly said, looking from her cock to Dan's. 

"But what about thickness? Who is thicker?" 

"You're getting off on this," Dan accused. 

"Fuck yeah I am," Arin said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're both fucking hot!" He squirmed, and Dan had a feeling he had an erection. Which started to wake up Dan's own dick. 

For fuck sake. 

"Do you want us to both jack off for you?" Holly managed to sound amused and slightly annoyed at the same time. Yeah, that was usually the right tone to take with Arin when he was in a mood like this. 

"You could see who has the bigger knot," said Arin. "Maybe... maybe I'll blow the winner." 

"If you get either of our knots up, you're gonna drown in cum," Dan said. Well, not drown. But there would be so much of it - two different Alphas getting their knots stimulated could probably fill a small bucket. 

"Well... okay, but please?" He put a touch of whine in his voice, his hands on his belly. 

"Suzy's gonna be sad she missed this," Holly said dryly as she began to jerk her cock. It swelled in her hand, beginning to jut forward, and it did indeed get bigger as she handled it. Not that much bigger, though - she was smaller than Excalibur. 

Thank god. It would have been hell to find underwear otherwise. 

"I think she's just glad to be getting some sleep," said Dan, and he moaned quietly as he began to really jerk himself off, his cock twitching as he stole glances down at Holly. Wow. She was... she was so gorgeous, so sexy, and she was right next to him. 

"Haven't you seen us both hard before?" Holly was actually humping into her hand, and she was biting her lip as her cock began to leak pre. 

"Yeah, but never, like... just there, you know?" Arin was squeezing his own thigh, shifting in place.

"Are we your mates, or your source for jack off material?" Dan was fucking his fist, concentrating on the spot right under the head of his cock with his thumb. "I still remember what happened the first time we got together, you and me and Suzy." 

"What happened?" Holly grunted, and then she sighed, her knot popping, the base of her cock swelling. 

"They jerked me off and treated me like a zoo specimen," Dan murmured. 

“You totally got off on it,” Arin argued, and he was reaching down, around his belly, his fingers skating over his cock. It was a bit too difficult for him to get off with just his own hand, around his big belly, but he could get something, at least. 

“Well, yeah,” said Dan. 

“You both are weird,” said Holly, her hands no longer on her cock, but resting on her thighs, bunching her skirt in her hands. 

“You love it,” Dan said, and he leaned over, smooching her wetly on the cheek. 

Holly snorted, but she kissed him back, as Dan jerked himself hard, trying to get his knot to pop.

It took another few minutes, but when it did, he gasped. 

“Fuck,” Arin said. “I want you inside me so badly,” he murmured. 

“That’s… not the best idea right now,” Holly panted. 

“What, because I’m pregnant? We asked the doctor, remember? He said as long as we were careful -” 

“If you got on my cock right now, I’d cum in like a minute,” Holly said through clenched teeth. 

“What about you, Dan?” Arin looked hopeful. 

“Sorry,” Dan said, apologetic. “I’m in the same… the same boat.”

“Can I at least see your knots?” Arin was actually pouting, which was adorable. Sometimes he was just so cute. 

Obnoxious, but cute. 

Holly stood up, walking weird, her cock hard and dripping in front of her. It was right in front of Arin’s face, andArin wrapped a hand around it, squeezing it. 

“Oh, god,” Holly murmured, and her hips twitched forward. 

Dan stood up as well, and he leaned over Arin, his cock wet and thick, his knot as red-purple as the head of his cock. 

Arin wrapped a hand around each knot, and both Alphas froze, their knees trembling. 

“I think Dan has the longer cock,” Arin said, pressing their dicks together, “but Holly has the thicker knot.”

“Good to know,” Dan squeaked. “Anyone ever asks, I can tell them.”

“I’ll ask you not to tell people about my genitals,” Holly said, but there wasn’t a lot of venom in it. Her hips were swaying forward. 

Arin let go of their knots, pressing their cocks together, his big hand holding the heads together. 

“Um.” Dan cleared his throat. “If you really have your heart set on some bukkake shit-” 

“Would this be bukkake?” Holly raised an eyebrow. “There’s only two of us.” 

“We should go to the bathroom,” Dan said, ignoring Holly’s inquiry. 

“Well… okay,” Arin said, nudging them out of the way and walking slowly towards the bathroom. 

“I’ll give you a blowjob afterwards,” Dan said, following after him, one hand around his cock. 

Trust Arin to be competitive about this kind of shit.


	20. Awkward Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Dan is an awkward turtle.

“Hey Bar, can I ask an awkward question?”

“Nothing has stopped you before.” Barry didn’t look up from the game he was playing.

“Really, dude? You wound me!” Dan put a hand over his heart to demonstrate.

Barry snorted, & looked over at Dan. “So what’s your awkward question?”

“You’re an Alpha, right?”

“That’s not an awkward question, you already knew that.” Barry’s thumbs were moving at lighting speed as his character ran & climbed on screen.

“Well, yeah, but like….” Dan tried to make his thoughts make sense. “Does it bother you that I’m seeing Omegas? Or that I’ve got two kids on the way?”

Barry shrugged. “Not really,” he said. He glanced up at Dan. “Are you worried about me being all jealous & trying to steal your lovers or something?”

Dan snorted. “Even if people actually worked that way, I know you don’t,” said Dan. His expression turned nervous. “I just… you know, I worry you’ll be unhappy? One your own.”

“I’ve got a girlfriend,” Barry said.

“Isn’t she a Beta?”

“Yes, Dan, I’m dating a Beta.” Barry put his controller down. “Please don’t tell me you’ve turned into one of those assholes who is gonna lecture me on how I can never find happiness without an Omega.”

“Fuck no,” said Dan. “Just, like… I dunno.” He sprawled back in his chair. “It’s been on the brain for me, you know? The future & shit.”

“Should my future change, you’ll be the first to know,” said Barry. “You wanna play?”

“Sure,” Dan said, & he sat next to Barry, leg to leg. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come off as a douche.”

“It’s fine,” said Barry, & he grinned. “At least you’re not pacing & mumbling about how you’re going to be a father anymore. That was getting on my nerves.”


	21. Plushies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzy fell asleep in the middle of something. Dan kept her company.

Dan was walking by the baby’s room when he caught Suzy’s scent. 

It had been getting stronger, as she got farther along, & he was getting more & more transfixed by it. Her & Arin - he wanted to drown in their scent, wrap their bodies around his & never let go. 

As that was both unfeasible & what Arin & Suzy referred to as “Alpha bullshit,” Dan did his best to quell the urge. 

But Suzy was RIGHT there, & she was… what was she doing, actually? 

Suzy was curled up in a ball in the huge pile of stuffed animals - the fans had gone a bit overboard, but then again, they tended to do that in general. There were enough plushies that they could probably open a shop. 

& Suzy was curled up in the middle of them, sound asleep, snoring quietly. 

“Scuze?” Dan padded into the room carefully, his feet silent on the fluffy rug. 

Suzy woke up, just enough to peek up at him through the curtain of her hair. 

She had a stuffed moose in her arms, right up against her chest & under her chin. 

“Hi,” Suzy mumbled. 

“Why are you napping on the floor? That can’t be good for your back.” He crouched down, offering her his hands. 

“It’s soft,” Suzy said, & she yawned. “I was setting stuff up & I thought I’d just rest my eyes for a sec.” She stretched, & beckoned for him to come lie down with her. 

“Do you want to go lie on the bed?” Dan stayed crouched, his calves screaming. 

“Nah,” Suzy mumbled. “’m so comfy.” 

“You drive a hard bargain,” said Dan, & he crawled into the pile with her, wrapping his long arms around her, his big hands on her bigger belly. 

He pressed his nose into her neck, his arms wrapped around her. 

It was weird - he felt more… Alpha than he’d felt in his life. But it was… it was so different from all the other Alpha feelings he’d been led to expect. He didn’t want to punch things, or fuck until he couldn’t walk. It was nothing like the Alpha-ness he’d ever experienced before. 

He kind of liked it. 

When he was like this, he wanted to hold Suzy in his arms, or Arin, hold them, kiss them, feed them. He… he wanted his babies. 

Which was weird to think about. 

He’d have to ask other Alphas about it. Maybe they’d know.


	22. Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on a prompt - _A/B/O-Verse; The time he learned about Arin and Suzy's pregnancy wasn't the only time Dan nearly ran away; what convinces him to come back - and then stay for good?_

Dan sat in a chair by Arin's bed, and he was breathing heavily, deep in and out breaths. They had sewn Arin up, and he was lying on the bed with the baby in his arms, as she nursed. Arin himself didn't seem to be awake. 

Tzipporah. That was her name, Tzipporah. His daughter’s name was Tzipporah.

There was panic welling up in Dan's chest, like a faucet running in an overfull bathtub. 

They had opened Arin up. Just... straight up opened him up, and there had been blood and skin, and Dan had been right there, holding Arin's hand as they cut into him. It had... Dan didn't ever want to see another thing like that again.

He hadn't fainted, at least. 

He couldn't do this. 

He wasn't a Dad, he couldn't be a parent, he couldn't... he wasn't... he had to go. He was just going to fuck this all up, he'd hurt the baby or he'd do something wrong, and it would all go wrong. It would be better for everyone if he just left. There were so many people who loved her already, who knew how to take care of a baby. They’d do so much better without him.

He needed to get in his car and drive as far as he could. 

It was the only clear thought in her mind, clicking like a piece of metal amongst all the fog and fuzz that was exhaustion and terror. 

He was standing up, getting ready to go to his car. He'd just disappear, they'd miss him, but they'd be better off without him. 

"Dan?" Arin yawned, sitting up a bit and wincing, as the baby - Tzipporah - detached and squirmed against him. "Do you want to hold her?" 

"I already held her," Dan said, and his hands were shaking.

"Well, yeah," said Arin. "You're gonna hold her again." He held her out, and winced at the pull in his belly. 

Dan was next to him in an instant. "Do you want me to call a doctor?" 

"Please take her," said Arin. "I need to not have pressure on my belly for a few minutes."

"Oh," Dan said. He took Tzipporah, his arm supporting her head, his other arm supporting the rest of her, and he stared down at her, because she was so soft and so small, and so alive. It was strange to think of her coming out of Arin.

Tzipporah yawned and opened her eyes, staring up at him. Her eyes were blue, and her face was red and splotchy. She had absolutely no hair. 

Love hit him like a cannonball in the gut, and his knees nearly gave up. He sat on the chair next to Arin, staring down into his daughter's face as she yawned again, like a cat. 

"She's... she's so small," Dan said, at a loss for words. 

"Easy for you to say," Arin said shortly. He yawned, trying to roll onto his side, and that was not an option at all. He settled himself on his back, yawning widely. "She looks like you."

Dan didn't answer. The fear that had been brewing in his gut didn't disappear, exactly. It rerouted itself, and he held her against his chest, as the terror of losing her (by death, by kidnapping, by his own leaving her) engulfed him like a wave. 

He kissed the top of her head, and held her closer. He didn’t want to ever let her go.

* * * 

Rhea was screaming. She had been screaming for hours, kicking her feet, flailing her fists, her head thrown back and her eyes screwed shut. 

Dan was walking her back and forth in the kitchen, jiggling, singing, trying everything in his repertoire. 

The fucking ear drops didn't work. Whatever it was that they gave her for teething wasn't working either. She was in so much pain, he couldn't do anything about it, and he was shaking, almost crying himself. 

He didn't even realize he was picking up his phone and dialing Brian, until he heard the familiar rough voice on the other end of the phone. 

"It's three in the morning," Brian said. "Someone better be dying." 

"She won't stop screaming," Dan said, harried. "She's... she has an ear infection and she's teething, and she won't stop screaming, she's in so much pain." Dan kept the phone cradled between his shoulder and his ear, still rocking and shaking Rhea. 

"Where are Suzy and Arin?" Brian wasn't making fun of Dan, which was a minor miracle. 

Dan would be humiliated about this whole mess, except he was too tired, and too scared. The familiar terror, of losing her, climbed up his throat like a rat. 

"Arin and Zip are at Holly's, so that they can get some sleep. Zip keeps getting kept up by Rhea." Dan was still pacing the dim kitchen. "Suzy went out for a drive - she's been on baby duty all day, she left me alone, I can't be left alone, she's hurting, what do I do?!" 

“Dan, you need to calm down,” said Brian. “She’s probably feeding off of your anxiety.” 

“I’m a shitty father,” Dan sobbed, and Rhea sobbed with him, like her tiny heart was broken. 

This was all his fault. 

“I can’t do this,” Dan gasped, and he sat on the table. “I… Brian, please, come over, I can’t… I need to….” He’d run. He’d get in his car and drive and drive and drive, and forget he’d ever had daughters, or partners, or… any of it. He’d drink and he’d get high and he’d never be responsible for another helpless human being again. And he realized, belatedly, thay he'd said all of that out loud. Fuck.

The terror of losing them squeezed his chest like a heart attack, and the terror of staying made his knees weak. 

“Dan,” Brian said. “Breathe. In and out.” His voice was calm, and his voice was quiet. “I”m going to come over. Can you stay together while I hang up?” 

“O-okay,” Dan said. He… he would hand Rhea to Brian, and he’d run. Suzy and Arin… the thought of them leaving him made his whole body seize up, and Rhea squalled louder, as he began to rock and jiggle again, still murmuring to her in an endless stream of words. 

He’d give Rhea to Brian, and he’d run. How could Suzy and Arin trust him, when he couldn’t even make his own daughter stop hurting? When he couldn’t help her when she cried like she was dying and her heart was breaking. 

He was lost in it - the noise, the terror, the tears dripping down his face - until there was a knock on the kitchen door. Dan answered it, numbly, and Brian stood there, unshaved, in his pajamas. 

“Give her to me,” Brian said, and he held his arms out as he stepped in, pulling the door closed with his foot. 

“I can’t make her stop hurting,” Dan sniffled, and he rubbed his eyes, huffing out a breath. 

“You’re overwhelmed,” Brian said. “I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear you talking about leaving.” He held Rhea in his hands, and she clung to him like she had been clinging to Dan, sobbing and screaming. 

“I… they don’t need me.” Dan covered his face with both hands, and he was crying almost as hard as Rhea, his whole body shaking. “They’re gonna… they’re gonna get sick of me, if I can’t help her, I need….” 

“You need to shut up and get a couple of wash cloths,” Brian said sharply, and then he was talking to Rhea. “Yes, honey, I know, it hurts, everything hurts.” 

Dan bolted to the linen closet, came back with four washcloths, as Brian held Rhea in one hand and ran his hand along the inside of her mouth with his other. 

“You’re getting teeth,” he told Rhea, using his regular speaking voice, as she cried up at him, her face red. “No wonder everything hurts.” He looked up at Dan. “Warm them under the hot water, but keep one dry.” 

Dan did as instructed, as Brian lay Rhea on the table. 

“Press the compress against her bad ear,” said Brian, and Dan did as instructed, his hands shaking. “You do realize if you ever ran off I would drag your sorry self home, right?” He was looking Dan straight in the face, pinning him down. 

“You’d be surprised how well I could probably disappear,” said Dan shortly, as Rhea began to quiet down. Her eyes were sliding shut, and she was panting, exhausted. 

“You’d be horrible at it,” Brian said, “and even if you weren’t….” He glared at him. “Your daughters need you. Your mates need you - don’t argue with me, they’re your mates - your friends need you.” He sighed. “Fuck it, I need you.” 

Dan shivered - the weight of that need crushed him down, like a sandbag on his chest. 

“Do you want her to grow up hating you?” Brian’s voice was quiet, as he stroked Rhea’s cheek with the tip of his finger. 

“God, no. I don’t want her hating anyone. I want her to be… I want her to be happy.” Dan let Rhea grab his finger, as she began to calm down, her whole body gradually relaxing. 

“If you don’t want her to hate you, you can’t leave,” Brian said. “It’s really that simple.” 

“That easy for you to say,” Dan said, but he was staring down into Rhea’s face, as she finally fell asleep.

“No, it’s easy for you to do,” Brian said. 

“What’s easy for you to do?” Suzy came clattering into the living room, looking refreshed in spite of herself. “Brian, why are you here?”

“Dan got a bit overwhelmed, needed some help.” 

“Why didn’t you call me, ya big dummy?” Suzy stood on tiptoe and kissed Dan on the lips. 

“I wanted you to have your relaxing car ride,” said Dan. 

“I went to the lover’s lane and had a nap,” said Suzy. “She doing better?” 

“You need to apply this every hour or so,” Brian said, indicating the warm compress. “Dan needed a bit of help, and I am going to sleep on your couch.” 

“You are?” 

“I am,” Brian said. “I’d advise you to go to sleep while you can.” 

“Okay,” Dan said, and he picked up Rhea carefully, still holding the warm to her head. 

“Are you okay?” Suzy watched as Dan climbed into bed, Rhea on his chest. 

“Yeah,” Dan said, and he sighed. The terror had abated - at least, it had gotten quieter. Rhea was quiet, she was… she was calm, and the idea of leaving once again seemed ridiculous.

Suzy snuggled up to him, her head on his shoulder. “Thanks for letting me get away,” she whispered. “I needed that.”

“It’s all good,” Dan said drowsily. “I hope you don’t think less of me for calling Brian.” 

“It’s alright,” Suzy said drowsily. “I’m glad things cleared up.” 

Rhea was still holding on to Dan’s finger when he fell asleep. 

* * * 

Dan had someone in his lap. This wasn’t an unusual turn of events for him these days - two children, three mates, several asshole friends….

This was the first blond he’d had in his lap for a while, though. There was that. 

She was kissing him, and that was nice enough, but when his hands went to her hips, they felt… wrong. Too narrow. She was skinny, and there wasn’t any mustache tickling his face. He stared at the woman in his lap, and she was perfectly attractive, but… nothing doing. 

“It’s getting kinda late,” Dan said, and he made a show of yawning. “I’m going to go to bed, I think.” 

“You want some company?” She waggled her eyebrows. 

“Nah, gotta get some shut eye,” said Dan, He gave her a peck on the lips, then waved to Brian, making his way back to his own hotel room. 

He was on his laptop in no time flat, shirtless, in an old pair of Arin’s pajama pants. He lay on his belly, and he texted Arin. 

_Hey dumbass. Get on Skype. Unless it’s an emergency or whatever._

His phone buzzed.

_Brian literally just sent us a picture of you with your tongue down some chick’s throat. Shouldn’t you be off getting laid?_

The joys of polyamory. Even your partners give you shit for not seizing the opportunity to get laid.

_I got bored. C’mon, please? I wanna see you guys. I don’t get home for another two days._

_Danny Sexbang got bored with a busty blond? I’m impressed._

_Yeah, yeah. Skype?_

_Fine! For fuck sake, give us a minute!_

A few minutes later - long enough for Dan to go get a glass of water and lie back on the bed, his laptop in his lap. Then Arin was calling, and Dan grinned, answering the call. 

“Why aren’t you off plowing that chick?” Suzy appeared on the screen, cuddled up to Arin. 

“Didn’t feel like it,” Dan said lightly. “What did you do today? Where are the girls? How are Rhea’s teeth? Has Zip gotten any new ones?” 

“I thought you wanted to talk to us,” Arin said dryly. “My mistake. And it’s ten at night. I’m not waking them up and fucking their sleep schedules up just to say hi to a screen.” 

“It’s a screen that contains me,” Dan pointed out. 

“Well, this is a screen that contains me,” said Suzy. “Do you want to talk to me, or to them?”

“I want to talk to you,” Dan said. “Tell me about your day.” 

“Well,” Arin said, “Suzy got a new shipment of bugs….” 

And Dan just… listened. He sat there, watching them talk, and he added his own bits and pieces. He wished he was sitting there, on the couch with them, holding someone’s hand, someone’s head on his shoulder, someone else’s feet on his lap. 

He didn’t want to be here, as a rock star. He wanted to be someone’s dad. 

Someone’s mate. 

Fuck it, he _was_ someone’s mate. Someone’s dad. 

Fuck. 

“I love you,” Dan burst out. “I mean… both of you. And… and the girls. And Holly.” 

“... we love you too,” Arin said, looking baffled. 

Dan wasn’t known for spontaneous verbal love confessions. 

“Can’t wait for you to get home,” said Suzy. She blew a kiss to the camera and yawned. “However, I’m going to bed.” 

“Night, Dan,” said Arin, and he smiled at the camera. 

“Night,” said Dan, as Skype turned off. 

* * *

He never wanted to run away again. Whatever panicked thing that had been living in his chest had disappeared, banished by who knew what. 

He slept the sleep of the exhausted parent, dead to the world.


	23. Cameras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What is it with you guys & cameras?"

"Hey, Dan?"

"Mm?" 

"How would you feel about... you know, filming this stuff?"

Dan pulled his mouth off of Arin's dick, looking up at him and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. 

"I feel like you should bring this up when I'm not sucking you off," Dan said, sitting back on his heels. "Why do you want to film it?"

"Well, uh... Suzy's never seen me knotted," Arin said. "She thinks it'd be hot."

"You're not in heat now," Dan pointed out, taking the time to tie his hair back. "I'm not gonna knot you. I wanna be able to, you know, finish the Grump sesh."

"Well, okay, yeah, but... next time I'm in heat, I want you to film it, okay?" 

"Okay," said Dan. He wrapped a hand back around Arin's cock. "If I may continue?" 

* * *

"Don't forget your phone," Arin panted, his face down in the bed. "For... for Suzy."

"Seriously?" Dan ground his cock against Arin's ass, his cock wet with slick and his own arousal. "It's in my pocket." 

"Pleeeease?" Arin put an extra whine in his voice. "I wanna see your big cock sinking into me, please?"

"When you put it like that," Dan said, trying to sound languid and lazy. Like this wasn't the second heat he'd ever had to deal with, the first Omega he'd ever tied with. 

Like he was an old hand at this Alpha shit. 

"Fuck, Dan, please, fill me up, please...." Arin was moaning, his hips humping against air, his ass above his head. He was possibly putting it on for show, but he had been this needy last time. 

Dan fumbled his phone out of his pants pocket, fiddling to get it recording, then finding the right sequence of buttons. He tilted it towards him, and he grinned, nervous and horny. "Hi, Scuze," he said. "I, uh... I'm about to fuck your husband."

"If you don't start fucking me," Arin bellowed, "I am going to rip your dick off and use it to fuck myself."

"But if you do that, it won't knot," Dan said, trying to position the phone so that it was pointed down towards his cock, showing the head teasing against Arin's hole. "I dunno... are you sure you want it?"

"Dan...." Arin made a noise between a pant and a sob. "Please. I... I need it. I need it so badly, _please_!" He was pretty level headed for a heat, but then again, it had only been about two hours. Slick was still drooling out of him, and his cock was thick and heavy between his legs. He was warm to the touch, flushed, and he was panting like he'd been running up the stairs. 

"Far be it from me to ignore such a nice offer," Dan said, half for the camera, half to keep his own calm. He was about to slide his cock into an Omega in heat. His bare cock, because... well, they'd talked about this. About possibilities. 

Male Omegas didn't get knocked up as much, and Dan had gone through his life, not getting anyone pregnant in spite of all the sex he had. What were the chances?

Dan leaned back, tilting his pelvis forward so the camera could get a good view of his dick sliding in, all the way to the hilt. Then he groaned, because... fuck. 

"Hold this," he said, shoving the phone at Arin's hands. "Let her... let Scuze watch your face."

"But she wants to see your cock going into me," Arin whined. He held the camera, looking into it. 

"Well, I want to see your face. If she wants to see me fucking you, she can... she can watch in person," said Dan, although he wasn't sure how he felt about that. 

This was all too new to really make promises like that when he wasn't stupid with lust and instinct. 

"Fuck, Dan, don't stop," Arin gasped, and he rocked back against Dan's cock. He was... he felt so hot, so tight, so wet. So perfect.

"Tell... tell her what it feels like," Dan said, still panting. "Tell Scuze what it feels like when I give you my big dick." Okay he was totally hamming it up. Fuck it. 

"He's... he's so big, sweetie, he's... he's just... splitting me open, oh my god, Scuze, this is... he's as big as that one strap on you got."

"I'm as big as a strap on? I dunno if I'm insulted or not." Dan shoved himself all the way in, swiveling his hips. His knot was already beginning to swell, and he braced his knees, grabbing Arin around the middle and forcing him upright. “Look at that pretty face,” he said, speaking into his phone, his chin on Arin’s shoulder as his hips worked harder. 

Arin was a mess - drooling, panting, his eyes rolled up, his mouth wide open. His chest was heaving, and he was dripping with sweat, droplets of it rolling down his belly, his thighs. Dan’s own chest was slippery from it. He whimpered, shameless, and Dan sank his teeth into Arin’s neck, sucking. 

Dan’s knot popped, and he shoved it into Arin, his cock deep inside, his teeth still in Arin’s neck, his nose pressed into Arin’s hair.

He could smell Arin’s heat in his sweat, his Omega scent, and his own scent. Deodorant and laundry detergent and shampoo and soap and all the other things that made up his scent, which Dan didn’t know how to name and didn’t want to. 

“Mmm….” Arin’s face contorted as he came, his jaw falling open, his head lolling back on Dan’s shoulder. Dan let go of his throat to kiss along his shoulder, and Arin shivered, going limp.

“So, uh… hope you enjoyed that, Suzy,” Dan said awkwardly, and he waved at the camera, the exhaustion already setting into his bones. Then he turned the recording off, and slumped against Arin.

“Are you going to fall asleep?!” Arin wriggled against Dan, his muscles twitching around Dan’s cock, which was still spurting cum. 

 

‘“Mmm?” Dan pressed his face into Arin’s shoulder, already beginning to drift. 

“Oh my god, you are such a stereotype,” Arin complained, although he was lying flat. 

“A stereotype that’s… filled your ass with jizz,” Dan murmured, half asleep. 

* * * 

“You sure Arin is gonna be okay with us messing around without him?” Dan held Suzy’s hips in his hands, as she rode his dick, slow and easy. She was surprisingly mellow, for being in heat. Then again, he’d knotted her frantically in the office early that day. 

She was still so wet that it was puddling on Dan’s lap, soaking into his groin, his thighs. He was going to positively fug of Omega in heat, if he didn’t use some properly strong soap. 

“Yeah, he’s okay. He’ll just be sad he missed it.” She angled her hips, and her labia dragged across his shaft. “Hey, I’ve got an idea.” 

“I am up for literally anything, as long as you do not get off my dick,” Dan said. 

“What if I told you to kill a man?” Suzy shifted her hips, and Dan grabbed them, squeezing them hard, his head lolling back. This chair was going to need to be fucking… dry cleaned. Or else reserved for heats. 

“I’d never k-k-kill a man,” Dan said, “and how could I kill a man with you on my cock?” 

“Okay, fair,” Suzy said. She leaned in close to him and kissed him, her breasts soft against his chest, familiar and alien at the same time. This was her first heat with him - only his third time inside of her. 

He hadn’t been with a woman in what felt like forever, and it was amazing and familiar as breathing and as alien as his hand after it had fallen asleep. 

Female Omegas were a lot more… moist. 

“So.. what is it you want?” Dan’s knot was going to pop. He was going to cum like a firehose, he could feel it beginning to build in his already. She brought out so much in him, and apparently his body very much liked her - he didn’t even know he could produce this much jizz in one day. 

“Take a picture? Or, no, better… take a video!” 

“Are you fucking kidding me? You too?” Dan grabbed his phone off of the table next to him, and he shoved it at Suzy. “Is this like an Omega thing?” 

“Well, it was hot as fuck when you did it for me,” Suzy said defensively. “C’mon, please?”

“I guess...,” Dan said, his voice full of mock reluctance. “I can stand for a hot lady to send a video of me fucking her to the guy who is her husband and also the guy that I’m fucking.”

“I knew you’d come around to my way of seeing it,” Suzy said, fiddling with Dan’s phone. “God, you need to upgrade.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dan said, and he hissed, biting his lip. His knot was popping - it was out - he was just holding on, waiting for Suzy to slide down onto it. That was one reason he liked this position so much - his partner had complete control, and he could just… hang on and go along for the ride.

As it were. 

Suzy was aiming the phone at her own face, as she began to bounce, her knees pressing into his sides. She wasn’t lowering herself onto his knot, at least, not yet. 

“Hey sweetie,” she said in her best Youtube voice. “This is from me and Dan. Say hi, Dan!” She turned the phone around, so that it was facing Dan’s face. He tried to remember how to use his face. “We’re missing you, so I thought we’d send you a nice little video.” 

“Fuck, Suzy, I need….” Dan bit his lip, squirming under her. Having her be in charge was all well and good, but his knot… needed seeing. 

Unless she didn’t want to do that. Which was totally fine, but in which case he’d have to go run off to the bathroom and then take a nice long nap. 

“What does our needy Alpha need?” Suzy was using baby talk at him, and he kind of wanted to growl at her and bend her over, fuck her with himself fully in control.

But another, larger part of himself… really liked how it felt when they talked to him like that. Like he was just their thing to play with. As an Alpha, he was always expected to be the one in charge and doing things. Being reduced to nothing but a dick and a pretty face was refreshing, in small doses. 

“Please,” Dan begged, panting. “Please, I… I need to knot you, please, Scuze….” 

“I guess…,” Suzy said, putting on her best pouty coquette face and winking to the camera. “He is asking so nicely.” 

Dan almost howled when she just… sat on his knot, taking him in completely, her labia against his groin, her arousal leaking out to mat down his pubic hair. He was so deep this way, he could barely breathe, she was so tight around him, so hot, he couldn’t do anything, just threw his head back as she filmed herself, then him, keeping up a string of chatter and obscenities for Dan. 

Dan came with a gasp, his cock spasming and shooting hot cum up into her, as his orgasm washed over him, wave after wave after wave. He slumped back against the chair, panting, one hand going between their bodies to press on her clit to send her over the edge. 

Omegas can cum pretty easily from penetration in heat, but a little help is never looked down on. 

Suzy came around him, and that made his own aftershocks intensify, almost like a second orgasm, and he was almost sobbing, his face pressed into her neck, panting heavily. 

“Love you, baby,” Suzy said to her phone, and she kissed it. “We miss you!” She poked Dan. “Say bye.”

“Bye, dude,” Dan said, making a vague motion. 

He didn’t want to think about the way his chest had clenched up uncomfortably when she had told Arin she loved him. That wasn’t a thing he was allowed to do. 

* * * 

“It’s been forever since we’ve been on tour,” Dan said, stretching out on the hotel bed. Everything ached. 

Brian was shifting on his bed, and he looked uncomfortable. “Maybe the birth of your two children had something to do with that,” he said shortly. 

“That’s a big factor, yeah,” Dan said. He glanced over at Brian, frowning. “Are you alright?” This was the first time they’d been solo in such an… intimate situation, since they’d had sex the year before. Things were finally starting to get back to normal. 

“Do you want the first shower?” Dan kept his face covered. Then he sneezed. That was a familiar scent. Oh boy. 

He’d just not mention it, and roll onto his stomach to hide his dick, which was already going to half chub. 

“I see you can tell,” Brian said dryly, and he flopped down on his own bed, covering his face. “Fuck.”

“I can get, uh… air fresheners,” Dan said, awkward. They hadn’t talked about having sex. About the awkward, the fact that they enjoyed it, the fact that it was all kind of… weird. 

“You could always just fuck me,” Brian said, in a normal, matter of fact kind of voice. 

Dan jolted upright, shooting Brian a sidelong look. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I didn’t take enough suppressant,” said Brian. “If I take another one, it won’t kick in for a few hours. I could take it, and we could fuck.” 

“I don’t want to put our friendship in danger,” Dan said slowly, carefully. 

“Was our friendship in danger the last time we fucked?” Brian was flushing, from his forehead to his ears to his neck. 

“It… it brought up some complicated shit, okay?” Dan hated how defensive he sounded. Especially when he was this horny. Fucking Alpha hormones, making it hard for him to think. 

Not for the first time, he wished he was a Beta. 

“What kind of complicated shit?” Brian sat on Dan’s bed, and he was so close, and he smelled… so good… fuck. 

Dan covered his face with both hands. “I don’t know how to talk about it right now,” he said. “I… I have a lot of feelings. They’re all complicated.” 

“Really? Every single feeling is complicated?” Brian shifted on the bed, his leg against Dan’s. He was already overheated enough that Dan could feel the heat of his skin through the denim of both of their jeans. 

“Brian,” Dan said, and there was a hint of warning in his voice. 

“I’m sorry,” Brian said. “Can we… can we please…?” Brian swallowed thickly. 

“Will your Alpha be mad? Or your wife?” His own mates had given the okay. But it was still… it was weird. He was horny and he was scared of something, something he didn’t even know what it was. 

“I’ll call them,” Brian said. “If… if they’re okay, are you okay?” It was strange seeing Dan this desperate, this _needy_. 

“Let me check with my people,” Dan said, and he tried to keep his voice calm. Tried not to think with his dick. 

Brian retreated to the bathroom, and Dan pulled out his own phone, fiddling with it, pulling up the group chat that he had with Suzy, Arin, and Holly. 

_Would it be okay if I slept with Brian tonight?_

_I’m not bothered,_ texted Holly.

_Go for it,_ texted Arin. _Someone can get laid tonight._

_Yeah, have fun,_ texted Suzy. _We miss you!_

Dan huffed a sigh of relief. Polyamory was nice.

“I’ve got the okay, but, uh….” Brian looked embarrassed. “They’ve requested video.”

“What, you too?” Dan snorted. “Every fucking Omega I’ve slept with is a kinky fuck.” 

“Of course they are,” said Brian. “Suzy and Arin are hedonists of the highest order.” 

“Are you going to just ask me to fuck you again like last time?” Dan sat up, shoving his phone to the side. He rested his feet on the ground, and he was aware that his cock was leaking through his jeans. 

It had been ages since he’d been around anyone in heat - Rhea and Zip were still nursing, which staved that off. 

“I remember what you like,” Brian said, and he stepped over, his knees pressed against Dan’s. His lips were chapped and dry, his tongue was hot and wet, and he smelled… so… good. 

* * * 

The camera was fixed on Dan’s face, as his hips worked. He stared down into Brian’s face, and Brian’s phone was covering up the front of his face. His cock was sliding into Brian, hot and tight and slick. 

“That’s enough,” Dan mumbled. “Enough… enough camera. I want to see your face.” His hair was a wild cloud around his face, and his eyes were wild. He could feel it. 

He hadn’t fucked an Omega in heat in a long time. Not since… well, not since Brian. Was that why his gut was in such turmoil, his whole body on fire, everything was intense, painful, almost terrifying. 

“Dan,” Brian said, “Dan.” He seemed at a loss for words, Dan’s hands holding his thighs open. “Fuck, please….” The phone fell to the wayside. 

“I’m gonna knot you,” Dan said, his voice calm. His hands were shaking, squeezing hard enough to leave bruises. “I’m gonna knot you, okay?” He shivered all over, his knot popping out of his cock. “Tell me you want it.”

“I want it,” said Brian, and he tried to force himself further along dan’s cock. His knot was pressed right against the rim of Brian’s hole. 

“No,” Dan said. “Tell me what you want.”

“Your… your knot. Dan, I want your knot.”

“Why?” Dan paused, holding Brian in place. “Why my knot?” 

“Because I’m an Omega in heat,” Brian said, terse. It was amazing how put together the guy could come off, even at a time like this. 

“If that’s the only reason, I’m going to walk away from you right now,” Dan said. “Look at me. No, actually _look_ at me.” 

Brian’s blue eyes met Dan’s brown, and they both shivered. 

“I want you to knot me… because I care about you,” Brian said, slowly, carefully. “Please knot me. I… if I can’t have my Alpha, I want your knot.” 

“Okay,” Dan said, his mouth on autopilot, and he shoved his cock as deep as he could as he came and came and came, his knot squeezed by the tight muscles of Brian’s cock. 

He fell forward, his cock still spurting into Brian, as Brian’s own orgasm washed over him, bringing more muscle spasms, drawing more cum from Dan. His dick shot cream across both of their bellies, and Dan slumped forward, exhaustion filling him already. 

“Hey, B-Brian?” Dan yawned, letting go of Brian’s thighs, letting them drop. Then he dropped, face forward, his nose in Brian’s neck.

“Mmm?” Brian was still shaking. 

“What… what if your Alpha was around. Would you still want my knot?”

“If Suzy and Arin were here, and in heat, would you prefer them?” 

Dan wasn’t sure how to answer that. He was too tired, and Brian felt too good around his cock, against his chest, in his arms.


	24. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You don't realize 'til it's happening.

Dan was laughing. Full on laughing, his head tilted back, his breath coming in deep, desperate gasps. 

"Oh my god," Dan gasped, and he covered his face with both hands, his long fingers tangled into his own hair. "Arin, you're... fuck, you're gonna fucking kill me, oh my god!" 

"I'm just saying," Arin said, and he glanced over at Dan, from the corner of his eye. "If dogs actually just... said "bark," they'd be so much weirder."

"Imagine a fucking... bigass dog, just... walking up to you and just saying "bark bark bark." How creepy would that be?" Arin was laughing as well, and he turned his whole body to face Dan, and the light just... passed over Dan's face, burnished his red-brown hair, drew a shining line from his forehead to his chin. 

Something in Arin's chest just... seized. Something bright and warm filled his chest, like a flower opening in the sun, and his whole face was turning red. 

"What? Is there something on my face?" Dan glanced at Arin, self conscious, but he was still smiling, and his eyes were bright. 

"Nothing," Arin said, and he looked down. His hands were shaking. 

Oh fuck. 

* * * 

So Arin was in love with Dan. 

Suzy... Suzy didn't know how she felt about this. She sat there at dining room table, and she drank a cup of tea, and she thought. 

She thought about Dan's big hands, and the way he laughed. She thought about the way he held the cats. 

"Hey Scuze," said Dan, walking by. 

"Hi," Suzy said, looking up at him. "What's up?"

Dan slid a cup of ice cream over to her, only a little bit melted. 

"Me and Arin went to the drive in," said Dan, "and they had a new ice cream flavor. I thought you might want to try it." He grinned. 

"Aw, thank you," she said. "That was really sweet of you." 

That was a Dan thing. 

She glanced over, and he was standing in her kitchen, brewing a cup of green tea. She thought, suddenly, of him never being in her kitchen again. Of him walking away, never seeing him again. No more big feet, no more bushy hair, no more big brown eyes and dozy jokes.

Something in her throat seized. It terrified her. Never seeing him again.... 

Oh. No. 

No, that couldn't happen. He... she wanted him in his life. For as long as she could have him. Which would hopefully be as long as he would have her. Which....

Suzy covered his face with both hands. This was... complicated. 

Really fucking complicated.

* * * 

Holly was almost dozing in the car, as they made their way to the airport. 

"Why are they taking such a late night flight?" Dan was grumbling as he drove, long fingers drumming on the steering wheel.

"To make our lives difficult, obviously," said Dan. "They are totally living their currently very pregnant, slightly miserable lives explicitly to make our lives a living hell." 

"Won't it become hell when the babies are actually born?" Holly yawned again.

"You could've stayed home, you know," Dan said, avoiding the question. There was a slightly anxious expression on his face. "I don't mind solo driving."

"Yeah, but it's my baby too," said Holly. 

"Possibly," Dan said, and he grinned at her, still anxious. "What if it turns out Arin's the father for both of them?"

"What, self impregnation? I feel like that'd be hard to do," said Holly. It's not like Arin is a squid or something."

"He'd be a pink squid," said Dan. 

"Don't squids turn colors?" 

"Well, yeah. He'd also have a beard. Squids don't have beards either."

Holly started laughing - really laughing, belly laughing, The kind of laughing that makes you almost pee yourself. She was still snickering and cackling as they pulled into the airport parking lot. 

"What?" Dan parked, and unbuckled their seat belts. 

"Squid with a mustache," Holly said, and she cackled harder. 

She looked over at Dan, and he was laughing as well, his hands over his face, his head tilting back, his chest heaving. 

She loved him. 

It was weird, having this revelation now. Not when he was knotted with her, sticky and hot and post-orgasmic. Not when they were cuddled up together in the bed. Just... now. When the sodium lights turned his skin almost yellow, and the bags under his eyes looked like they were painted on. 

This wasn't a time to love. 

Except apparently it was. 

* * * 

Ross was kissed by Dan over Zip’s head. 

He wasn’t even thinking about it. It was just kind of his life. He was handed babies, he handed babies to people. He was peed on, he was puked on, he was kicked, gummed… life was tiny people, with occasional breaks to deal with birds and cats. 

Dan’s life was the same, if not more so. He actually LIVED amongst the babies and the everything.

So when Ross handed Zip to Dan, Dan had just leaned forward and kissed Ross on the mouth. Not even, like, sexily. Just a casual brush of lips. 

Then he made a face. 

“Shit, sorry man,” said Dan, laughing. “I’m on, like… eighty percent autopilot.” He kissed Zip loudly on top of her head, and she squealed. “Come on, gorgeous, let’s get your bath ready.” 

Ross stood there for a good five minutes, his fingers pressed against his lips, thinking. 

He kissed Dan, to see if it brought up the same fluttering, nervous feelings in his belly. He made sure he wasn’t holding a baby this time, too, standing next to Dan in the kitchen as Holly carried Zip off to bed. 

He put his hands on the back of Dan’s head, and he kissed him, pressed chest to chest, their noses knocking together. 

Dan pulled back, raising an eyebrow. “Are you gaining some new unexplored feelings or something? ‘Cause, like… now is not the time for us to begin a tumultuous love affair. I smell too much like baby puke, man.” 

“I know,” Ross said dryly, and he wrinkled his nose. Then he kissed Dan again.

“Why do you keep kissing me?” 

“I dunno. Why do you keep kissing me back?”


	25. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sick kids are scary.

“Howie, it’s so hot.” 

Rhea blinked up at Holly, squinting. She was sick enough - and exhausted enough - that there weren’t any of her usual dramatics. She just sat up in her bed, soaked in sweat. Her cheeks were red, the rest of her face was pale. Even her hair was plastered down with sweat. 

“Oh, honey.” Holly bent down, putting a hand on her forehead. 

She was hot. They’d given her fever reducers, they’d given her liquids, but she was still so hot. Zip was sick as well, but she was just coughing. 

“Just” coughing, when she was almost turning blue through each coughing fit. 

But Rhea was lying in her bed, soaked with sweat and panting. 

“Howie?” Rhea rubbed her eyes. 

“Be right back, sweetheart.” Holly leaned down, kissing the top of Rhea’s head. Then she went to the living room, where Suzy was cuddling with Zip on the couch, getting her to drink tea. 

“How’s Rhea?” Zip was passed out on Suzy’s lap, and she was stroking her hair. 

“She’s really feverish. I was thinking I’d give her a bath, then maybe she could nap in here while I change her sheets. They’re all sweaty. Is that okay?” 

“Why wouldn’t it be okay?” Suzy’s expression softened. “I trust you. They’re your kids too, you know.”

“I know,” Holly said. “I’m just... usually the one who drops by, you know? Or it’s just me and Ross with the one.” 

Because when the girls got sick, they had to do it dramatically, and it was always easier to take care of them separately, now that they were weaned. 

But Arin and Danny were off on tour, and it wasn’t as if they could be called off. Even though they were practically calling themselves off, but the tour had been in plans for _months_. 

“Well, I trust your instincts,” said Suzy. “You don’t need to check in with me.” 

“Thanks, darling,” said Holly. She leaned down and kissed Suzy on the mouth, then went to gather up Rhea. 

The five year old was lying down in bed again. She’d discarded her shirt, and her chest was rising and falling as she panted. 

“Hey little bird,” said Holly. “We’re gonna give you a bath, okay?”

“‘Cause I’m so gross?” Rhea let herself be led by the hand to the bathroom. 

“You’re not that gross,” said Holly. “I’ve seen you be grosser.” 

“Yeah? Like when?” Rhea sat on the toilet seat, watching passively as Holly plugged up the tub and got the water running. 

“Well, when you were really tiny, Abba burped you funny, and it came out of your nose,” said Holly, in a conspiratorial tone. “Come on, sweetie. Pants off.”

Rhea wriggled out of her pajamas, then let Holly help her climb into the bathtub. 

“The water’s cold,” Rhea complained, wrapping her arms around herself.

The water was, in fact, lukewarm, but as hot as Rhea was, it would probably come off as pretty damn cold.

“It’ll help cool you down a bit, honey,” said Holly. She tried not to focus on how listless Rhea was, how red her face was. How quiet she was. Rhea, who you practically had to tie down in order to get her to sit still most of the time. 

“Howie, tell me a story,” Rhea said, and she yawned. 

“What kinda story?” 

“One with birbs,” said Rhea. “Tell me one with… with… what kind of bird am I?”

“You’re a rhea!” Holly put extra cheer in the word, as she turned the water off, then took the cup from the side of the tub and filled it up. She poured it over Rhea’s hair, and the thick curls quickly absorbed it. 

“What are rheas like?” Rhea made a face as Holly began to soap her hair up. “Howie, you washed it yesterday.” 

“I know, baby, but it’s all sweaty.” 

“It’s gonna be all poofy.” 

“At least it won’t be smelly,” said Holly. “So a rhea bird can’t fly, but they can run.” 

“Is that why I can run?”

“No, you can run ‘cause you’ve got strong legs.”

“And ‘cause I’m a rhea.” 

“... sure.” 

She seemed to feel better, as she babbled on about birds and running and... scorpions. Holly let the relief sweep over her like a wave, making occasional agreeable noises.


	26. Sexy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzy's feeling a bit self conscious, at almost seven months in.

“You think the fans are gonna be weird about this?” Suzy leaned back against the big, comfy chair in her living room, as Holly added the finishing touches to the little bird on her belly.

The bird painted on Suzy’s belly. Not an actual bird. 

As a joke, for her Instagram, Suzy had asked Holly to paint a bird coming out of an egg on her belly. Since she was due in about two months why not get a little silly? 

“I mean, the fans are weird about everything,” Holly said. 

"At least I don’t have to worry about people leaving creepy sexual comments,” said Suzy, and she giggled when Holly kissed an unmarked part of her belly. 

“What, because you’re pregnant?” Holly stood up, her back arching. There were a few pops, and she made a face. 

“I’m not exactly attractive right now,” Suzy said, hauling herself up. Her belly was big, purple-red stretch marks radiating out from her navel. 

“Are you kidding?” Holly helped her up, wrapping her arms around Suzy from behind, nuzzling her neck. “You’re fucking gorgeous.” 

“You’re just saying that because I’m probably carrying your baby,” said Suzy, but she tilted her head to the side, giving Holly more access to her neck. “Don’t all Alphas have, like, a pregnancy fetish?”

“I don’t know most Alphas,” said Holly. “I mean, maybe I’ve got a Suzy fetish. Didja think of that?” 

“Oh my god,” Suzy said, and she began to laugh, her knees trembling and her eyes squeezing shut. “That was, like, the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard. Goddamn it, Holly.”

“What?!” Holly put on a defensive tone, mostly joking. “It’s true. “You’re so pretty, I can’t get enough of you. You smell so GOOD....” She pressed her face Suzy’s neck, kissing and nibbling. Her hands rested on top of Suzy’s breasts - they were tender enough that they couldn’t take the usual mauling that they enjoyed. 

“You are such an Alpha sometimes,” Suzy said, her voice full of affection. 

“I’m gonna take that as a compliment,” Holly said, trying to keep her tone lofty. Her cock had woken up, and the lump of it was pressing against Suzy’s ass. 

Suzy snorted, and she sighed, leaning heavily against Holly. “You really think I’m still sexy?” 

“What do I gotta do to prove it to ya?” Holly nibbled on Suzy’s ear, her hands stroking up and down Suzy’s sides. She could feel the baby shifting a bit, and the steady in-out of Suzy’s breath. 

“Eat me out. Right now,” Suzy said, using her monotone “no way is this gonna happen” voice.

“Done,” said Holly, stepping in front of Suzy and dropping to her knees. 

“But - the photo shoot -” 

“We’ve got sheets on everything anyway,” Holly said. “Although you should probably sit down.” 

Suzy sat down on the couch again, gaping her knees open. She was wearing an old pair of Arin’s basketball shorts, low on her hips. Holly pulled them off, tossing them to the side.

She wasn’t wearing any underwear under them, and she was already on her way to aroused. 

It didn’t take much to get her fully there - kisses up and down her thighs, a gentle nip here and there. Holly’s fingers gently ghosting over her labia. 

Holly just wished she could watch Suzy’s face. 

“Could you... could you knot me?” Suzy made a pathetic noise when two of Holly’s fingers slid into her, crooked in just the right way to find her g-spot. 

“I think that’d be a bad idea,” Holly said, trying to keep her tone neutral. She wanted to knot Suzy, so badly. But with her as pregnant as she was... the logistics wouldn’t work. 

“You could fist me?” Suzy’s tone was so hopeful that Holy had to suppress a giggle. 

“Um... let me do some research on that?” Holly held Suzy’s labia open with one hand, leaning forward and lapping at her clit. 

“Oh!” Suzy moaned, her whole body tensing. Holly could see the baby shifting under Suzy’s skin. The rush of nice hormones must have been hitting it - her? him? 

“Is that okay?” Holly tried to keep the worry out of her voice. For all her cockiness, she was a bit scared that she’d do something to jeopardize Suzy or the baby. Or both of them. 

“Yeah,” Suzy gasped. “Please keep doing that.”

* * * 

It took a lot less time for Suzy to cum, and when she did, she cried, great, wrenching sobs like her heart was breaking. 

Holly pulled away, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She was... sticky, to be sure, but she didn’t really care at that moment in time. 

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain? Did I do something? What can I do?” She held Suzy in her arms, heedless of the paint smearing on her shirt, heedless of her own arousal, heavy and thick between her legs. 

“I’m f-f-fine,” Suzy mumbled, her makeup running. She grabbed Holly, pressing her face into Holly’s chest as she sobbed and sobbed. “Just... just hormones,” she said, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Holly said, rocking slightly on the balls of her feet. She was way out of her depth, but this was Suzy, and Suzy was crying and what else could she do?

This shirt was probably going to be done for. 

After a few minutes, Suzy sniffed, pulling back and wiping her eyes. 

“Fuck,” she said. “I’m gonna redo everything for this shoot.” 

“Sorry,” Holly said, looking guiltily up at the ceiling. 

“No you’re not,” Suzy said, reaching between Holly’s legs and squeezing her cock. 

Holly’s hips bucked forward, and she moaned. 

“Kinda sorry?”

“Eh, close enough.”


	27. Try Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ross thinks he can take Dan's knot.

Dan was kissing Ross.

This was not as weird as it might have been once upon a time. Since Rhea and Zip had been born, there had been plenty of occasions when Dan had kissed Ross. 

Usually not with this much... fervor. Because there was always a baby who need to be changed or fed or sung to or a billion other things that babies always need, especially when there were two of them. 

Holly, Arin, and Suzy, all sick of the longing looks that Dan and Ross were shooting at each other (Dan and Ross? _Really_?) that they told Dan to stay at Ross and Holly's place for the night. 

And now Dan was being straddled by Ross, kissing him, hands on the back of Ross's head, then moving down, to grab Ross's ass. 

"You should totally fuck me," Ross said, as if it was the most obvious thing, when they pulled apart, breathing heavily. 

"You don't wanna start slow? Like... I dunno, dry humping, hand jobs, hot blowies?" Dan was still holding on awfully tight to Ross's ass. "Ease into it?"

"I don't know the next time we're going to actually be able to have an opportunity to fuck," said Ross. "I'm not gonna waste it on a chance to have this dick that everyone rhapsodizes about in my butt."

"Everybody doesn't rhapsodize about my dick," Dan protested, but he was grinning in spite of himself. 

"'Oh, Dan, please, knot me, I need your knot!'" Ross put on what he probably thought was a good imitation of Arin. "'Please, fill me!'" 

Dan rolled his eyes, adjusting his position, grinding his cock against Ross's ass. "You know what an Omega in heat is like," he said. 

"No, Dan, I don't," said Ross. "Because I'm a beta." He leaned in, nipping at Dan's neck. 

"Sorry," Dan mumbled, his hand sliding under Ross's shirt, his hands splayed out across the pale skin. 

"Why?" Ross snorted. "I'm not bothered by it. Unless you think I should be?" 

"I mean, no, I didn't want to imply that, just that, uh...." Dan paused. "You're just doing your bullshit sadism stuff, aren't you? Goddamn it, Ross."

Ross was grinning when Dan kissed him. 

* * * 

"You really want my knot? Like, really really?" Dan had Ross bent over the bed, his legs spread wide, his ass in the air, grinding against the bed. "Like... you don't have to."

"I want your fucking knot, Dan. Jesus fuck, stick it in me already!"

"You are such a fucking brat," Dan said, and he slapped Ross on the ass, hard enough that the flesh jiggled. His own cock was pressed against Ross's ass, as his fingers thrust in and out. 

"I know," Ross said. "But... like... ooo, yes," Ross paused, breathing heavily. "I've taken Holly's knot. You've said hers is bigger."

"Yeah, it is," Dan said, his three fingers curling and straightening, thrusting slowly and easily into Ross. "But my dick is bigger."

"Are you insulting my wife's dick?" Ross managed to sound offended while panting and humping a bed. 

Bastard. 

"No, I'm not." Dan rolled his eyes, pulling his fingers out of Ross. "Okay. Fine. If we tie, though... I'm gonna say I told you so."

"We're not gonna tie," Ross said. "I don't have those... special Omega muscles. Holly usually pops out."

"Only usually?" Dan slid the head of his cock into Ross, moaning. "Fuck, you feel so fucking good...."

"Jesus christ, Avidan, are you some kind of... big dicked mutant?" Ross was breathing harder, as he was pressed into the mattress, Dan's chin digging into his shoulder. 

"Are you complaining?" Dan slowly slid more in, inch by agonizing inch, until he was fully seated. His knot was just beginning to swell at the base of his cock - it still looked like a Beta's or an Omega's cock, for the moment. 

"No, just... fuck, no wonder Arin walks funny." Ross pushed himself back on Dan's cock. 

"What about... what about Suzy?" Dan began thrusting shallowly, breathing heavily, his hands digging into Ross's hips. 

"Oh,she always looks good. Put together." He was aware he was babbling. "Fuck, this thing... oh my god."

"Why does her being put together have to do... have to...." Dan moaned, and he was as deep as he could go without sliding his knot in, which had popped out much faster than he'd expect it to. 

This was the first time he'd actually had any sex, since his daughters had been born. He wasn’t going to last very long. 

“Shut up,” Ross grumbled. “I’ve got, like, a monster dick in my ass. How the hell am I gonna make sense?” He ground back against Dan. “C’mon. You gonna… plunder my virgin ass and give me a soul mark or something?”

“I swear to fucking god, Ross, I will pull out and go jerk off in the bathroom.” Dan almost believed it.

“Fine, fine, please, fuck, Dan, I’m gonna go crazy, please knot me,” Ross said. “Do I sound Omega enough?” 

“You are such an asshole,” said Dan, but he pressed down harder on Ross’s hips, pressing him into the bed. His knot slowly slid into Ross, and holy fuck. It was tight. Very, very tight. 

“You’re gonna… break me in half,” Ross gasped, but his cock was trembling beneath him, his arousal so desperate that he could barely think in a straight line. Oh god. 

“Do you want me to pull out?” Dan tried to keep his voice calm and even. “I can, but I won’t be able to soon.” 

“Gimme a minute,” Ross said, and Dan could almost hear his eyes squeezing shut. Dan’s own knees were shaking. 

“Does that mean pull out, or does that mean stop?”

“It means stop,” Ross said. 

There were a tense few minutes, and Dan was about to pull himself out altogether, when Ross twitched around him. 

“Okay,” Ross said, and he took a deep breath. “Please… just put it all the way in. Please.”

“Okay,” Dan said, and he began to push harder, until he was fully seated, his knot inside of the hot, pulsing velvet of Ross’s ass. “Oh.” 

“Oh? Th-that’s all you can say? Fuck, you’re… fuck….” 

“Shut up, Ross,” Dan said, and now he was lying on top of him, his hips moving so slowly, they were barely moving at all.

“Is this… fuck… oh my….” Ross was sobbing, and Dan paused. 

“I can… I can not move,” he said, clearing his throat as guilt bubbled through his belly. “Like, I can stop moving, I mean.” 

“Just… keep… it up,” Ross said, through obviously gritted teeth. His cock was beginning to twitch - Dan could feel the corresponding muscles twitching. 

“Not… gonna be a problem,” Dan mumbled, and he was thrusting oh so slowly, and his orgasm was almost there, almost….

Ross gasped, sobbing, and Dan realized that he was cumming. They would need to change the sheets. THey’d need to change the sheets anyway. 

That wasn’t a very sexy thought, but Ross was twitching around him and he was cumming, the kind of deep orgasm that comes deep and desperate from the very root of the belly, and he gasped as he just… came and came and came, so full it was already dripping out of him, and Dan wasn’t near empty. 

Dan gasped, as Ross squirmed further along the bed - they were well and truly tied now, and would be for a decent amount of time. 

“I’m gonna fall asleep,” Dan mumbled. 

“That’s not very nice,” Ross said, his own voice tired. 

“S’not… ‘snot my fault,” Dan mumbled, and then he was snoring, his head on Ross’s shoulder. 

* * * 

“Welcome to Steam Train! So today, we’re gonna a brand new game. I am gonna annihilate Arin at it. But not as much as Dan annihilated my ass last night!”


	28. Worse Than The Time With The Skunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhea & Zip get into some Trouble.

"So you're seriously going to go to this stupid party?" Rhea leaned against the door frame, watching as her sister applied makeup. 

"It's not a stupid party," Zip said, not looking up from her mirror as she carefully applied her lipstick. 

"It's a frat party," Rhea said. "Frat parties are, like, by definition, stupid."

"Do you even have a right to call anything stupid? You failed your math final twice, even with summer school."

"That wasn't my fault. They just don't know how to teach." Rhea huffed, tucking a piece of thick, curly hair behind her ear. 

"You sound like Dad," said Zip. She stood up, adjusting her dress - the cut was low enough that her breasts were spilling out, the pale skin like ice cream against the straps. The skirt barely covered her ass, and she was wearing a pair of fishnet stockings.

She looked like old pictures of their mother, kind of. Broader of the shoulder, with Howie's pale eyes and feathery hair. 

"Mom is never gonna let you out looking like that. Neither is Abba. Or Howie." 

"Can I borrow your trench coat?" Zip looked up at her sister, and tried to flutter her eyelashes. There was a lot of mascara on them. 

"Only if I can go with you." 

'What, seriously?!" Zip frowned. "Duncan only invited me." 

"Did he say that I couldn't come?" Rhea ran her fingers through her hair. "Did his mouth - with that stupid ass mustache - open up and say "Oh, by the way, you can't bring your totally awesome sister."" 

"You're modest," Rhea said, and she glared up at Rhea. "And his mustache isn't stupid."

"Why, because it feels nice when you kiss him?" Rhea waggled her eyebrows. "Don't look at me like that. I walked in on you guys last week." 

"... don't tell any of the parents," Zip said, looking nervous. 

Rhea grinned down at her. "Give me, like, ten minutes to change, then we can go, okay?" She put her hands on Zip's shoulders and bumped their foreheads together. "C'mon. I just wanna watch out for my baby sister."

"You are literally three minutes older than me," Zip said, but she put her hands on Rhea's shoulders, giving her a quick hug. "Just... leave me and Duncan alone, once we're there." 

"I still think he's a creep!" Rhea called over her shoulder, as she barreled towards her room. 

"Who's a creep?" Dan nearly crashed into Rhea. 

"Abba, can I borrow your blue tie?"

"What do you need it for?" Dan raised an eyebrow. "And who's a creep?"

"It's for a cosplay," Rhea said defensively. 

"You have your own ties," Dan said. "Who's a creep?"

"Why do you keep asking me that?" said Rhea, making her way towards her own bedroom. 

"Because you haven't answered me," said Dan. "So who's a creep?" 

"A guy at school," Rhea said. "He's got a thing for me."

"Yeah? Is he cute?" Dan leaned against the door frame as Rhea rooted through her room, pulling out her favorite combat boots and a pair of skinny jeans. 

"Eh... he's such a... guy," Rhea said, making vague hand gestures, pulling out a dark green button down shirt. "So can I borrow your blue tie?" 

"I'll give it to you when you're putting the costume together," said Dan. "I know the con isn't until next weekend. I've lost too many clothes that way already." He looked Rhea up and down, as she began to wriggle out of her current jeans. 

Rhea had never had any modesty, and they'd all given up on trying to teach her some. 

"What?" Rhea was jumping up and down as she pulled her jeans on. They were a bit... looser than they were the year before, but... well, puberty makes life... interesting for all of us. 

"Why are you getting all dressed up?" Dan covered his eyes with one hand as Rhea grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began to pull it over her head. "Rhea, you're not supposed to get naked in front of me."

"I'm wearing a bra," Rhea said, as she pulled the tank top over her head. 

"I know you're wearing a bra, that's not the point," Dan said. "How would you feel if I got naked in front of you?"

"I mean, you used to take baths with me when I was little," said Rhea, and she grabbed her trench coat off of the back of another chair and scooted past. "I love you Abba, bye!"

"Where are you going?" Dan called, as Rhea tossed the coat into Zip's room. 

“Ice cream,” said Rhea. “Right, Zip?”

“Right,” said Zip, emerging. She was wrapped in the trench coat, which almost dragged on the floor.

“Want me to drive you?” Dan followed after them as they went downstairs. 

“Dan! Get your skinny self over here!” Arin’s voice called through. 

“Dad, can we go get ice cream?” 

“Why didn’t you ask me?” Dan mock pouted, as Rhea sat at the kitchen table, tying her boots. 

“Because you’re the cool parent,” Zip said, and she smiled at Dan, the same smile as when she was two years old. 

“I heard that,” Suzy called. “Dan, come on, the movie’s gonna start.” 

“So we can go get ice cream?” 

“Yeah, sure,” said Arin. “Be careful.” 

“We will,” Zip and Rhea chorused. They both watched Dan walk into the living room, to join their other parents and probably do sappy shit. 

Which was gross to think about, because… dude. Parents. 

On a whim, Rhea grabbed Dan’s black leather jacket, which was draped over the back of one of the chairs. “There we go,” said Rhea. “That’s better.”

“Abba’s gonna be annoyed at that,” Zip said, but she held the door open.

“He won’t notice,” said Rhea. “It’s too warm to wear a jacket.”

“He wears that to the beach,” said ZIp, and her heels clicked on the walkway. 

“Well, it’s not like he’s gonna be going out tonight. They’re gonna fall asleep on the couch. Maybe Howie will come down and they’ll all go do whatever.” 

“Urgh, I do _not_ want to think about that!”

* * * 

“You know, they’ve been off to get ice cream for a while,” said Suzy, rubbing her eyes as the ending credits of the movie scrolled across the screen. 

Arin jerked awake. “Huh?” 

“Rhea and Zip. They’ve been gone for… at least two hours.” Dan squinted at the clock over the television. 

“They probably went to chill at the park,” said Arin. “It’s only ten, and it’s a Friday.” He stretched, then relaxed into the couch. “They’re young, and we live in a safe neighborhood.”

“I’ll have a word with them when they get back,” Suzy said, but she cuddled up to Arin, her head on his chest. “Want to put the next movie on?” 

* * * 

“Did you have to bring her along?” Duncan made a face, indicating Rhea. “I wanted it to be just you and me tonight, baby.”

“You and her and all the rest of the party,” Rhea piped up.

Zip shot her a look. 

Rhea grinned at her.

“If you’re gonna be a twat about it, I’m gonna leave you here,” said Duncan, leaning out of his car to glare at Rhea. 

“And if you leave me here, I’ll call my parents and you’ll never see my sister again.” Rhea crossed her arms. “Either I come with you, or you don’t go at all.”

“Rhea,” Zip said in a warning tone. “Quit being such a killjoy.”

“You haven’t seen me be a killjoy yet,” Rhea said, and she shoved her hands in her pockets. 

“Fine, fine, just… get in.” Duncan mumbled something about douchey Alphas, and Zip frowned as she climbed into the front seat.

“Excuse me? You do know my pack has Alphas, right?” 

“Nothing, nothing,” Duncan said hurriedly, and his hand was on her leg, higher than it’d be if any of their parents were in the car with them.

Rhea rolled her eyes, leaning back in her seat. For all that she was supposed to be the crazy horndog Alpha, Zip was giving her a run for her money. 

* * * 

The party was loud. Really loud. Once they had gotten to the big house, Rhea had grabbed Zip by the wrist and told her not to do anything stupid. Then they had gone their separate ways. 

She could see Zip, faintly, making out with Duncan on a beanbag chair. His hand was up her skirt, grabbing her ass, and she was straddling him, her skirt riding up. 

Urgh. 

Rhea sighed, and took a sip of her drink. It was fiery, and burned going down her throat, but it did feel nice. It didn’t exactly taste nice, but the tight spot in the middle of her chest that had been there since… certain things had shown up was actually opening, and it was _heady_. 

Was this what it felt like to be an Alpha? Like, an actual Alpha, not an awkward bunch of limbs and hormones? People were looking at her, with something like interest. A pretty girl had even smiled at her.

* * * 

Rhea wasn’t expected Zip to wrap an arm around her middle. She wasn’t expecting Zip’s slightly nervous expression. 

“Duncan,” she said, “I’m just, uh… Rhea isn’t feeling well. Right?” 

“... I’m not?” Rhea raised an eyebrow. “Oh! I’m not! I need to, uh… sit down.” She fake staggered away from the cute girl she’d sorta-kinda been flirting with, and landed with a “thud” on the couch next to… a girl being tattooed?

“Dude,” Zip said quickly. “Let’s get tattooed!” 

Rhea looked from the needle to Zip’s face, and she grinned. The alcohol (which tasted like paint thinner) was humming in her throat, and it seemed like the best idea. 

“Yes!” 

* * * 

“Holly?” 

“Hm?” 

“Have you heard anything from Rhea and Zip?” 

“No, why would I? Aren’t they watching a movie with you guys?” Holly put down her ukelele, leaning on her doorframe. 

“No, they went out for ice cream.” Arin checked his watch. “Like, four hours ago. I wouldn’t be worried, but they’re not answering their phones.”

Holly frowned. “Where could they be?”

“Maybe that big party that’s going on at the frat house?” Ross looked up from his book. 

“How would you know about frat party?” Arin raised an eyebrow. 

“I caught this guy giving out cards at the high school. Seedy looking guy. Stupid looking mustache.” 

“Does this guy have, like, greasy blond hair? Wears a leather vest covered in safety pins?” Arin made a thinking face.

“Yeah, that dude.”

“... huh.” Arin cleared his throat. “So, uh… how about we go check out this party?” 

“Who is this “we”?” Ross gave Arin a Look. “How about you and Dan stay home, and me and Suzy and Holly go find them.”

“Why do you want us to stay home?” 

“Because you both get stupid when you’re mad,” said Ross. 

“Why do you think I’d get angry?” Arin was glaring at Ross.

“Two of your darling offspring are off at a frat party. When they shouldn’t be. Possibly with that seedy looking guy. You really think you won’t punch anyone in the face…?” 

Holly groaned and covered her face with both hands. 

“... okay, point,” said Arin. “Do you remember where this frat house is?” 

* * * 

The pain... wasn't what Rhea expected. Zip had just sat there and taken it, because that was what Zip did. She sat there and took it, and then she came at you with both fists. The look she had given the tattoo artist (well, "artist" - Zip had had to draw the bird onto her own hand in order to get the guy to understand what she wanted) had implied she had wanted to punch him very, very hard. 

It was a burning, almost buzzing kind of pain, and it made the bones in her knuckles rattle, as he carefully traced the long shape.

Zip leaned against Rhea, her chin on Rhea's shoulder. 

"I just had a thought." 

"Did you?" Rhea was speaking through her teeth. "Please do share it with the class." It was... hot and burning, creeping up. She glanced down, and the outline was nearly finished. 

"Howie is gonna kill us." 

"We can hide it from herrrrrrr oh my god I think that's a nerve," Rhea mumbled. 

"I'm sorry, we can hide the tops of our hands for the rest of our lives?" Zip stroked a piece of Rhea's hair out of her face, and Rhea tried to relax into it. 

"Just until we're eighteen," said Rhea, and then the needle was being withdrawn, and Rhea sighed. 

"And it's done," said the guy, tucking the contraption - it looked like a paintbrush with a needle taped to it, held together with a bunch of shoelaces? - behind his ear. 

"Thanks," Rhea said, and she shoved a wad of twenties at him. 

* * * 

"I think that's the place," Ross said, pointing to a house with big Greek letters across the front. 

There was a lot of music coming out of it. Very loud music. 

"There's no way Rhea would go into a place like that if someone didn't have a gun to her back," Holly said. "She hates that kinda thing."

"Zip doesn't," Suzy said, and her tone was grim. "I can see Rhea going in with Zip."

"Are we bad parents?" Holly shot a look at Suzy, her expression pained. 

"No," Suzy said. "We have teenagers." 

* * * 

"Let's split up," said Ross. "If we can find Rhea, Zip can't be far behind." 

"You go for the upstairs, I'll go for the downstairs, maybe you can go for the backyard?" Holly glanced at Ross and Suzy. 

"Sounds good." 

* * *

Suzy wandered through the back yard. There was a large pool, and there were teenagers and people in their twenties. She got a few odd looks, but she was wearing a Look. 

It was probably an "I'm somebody's mother" look, admittedly, but it meant that she didn't get hit on. 

Much.

"I am totally digging the MILF look," said some guy, who had a really regrettable beard. "You here to relive your glory days, sweetheart?"

He _fugged_ of Alpha hormones - they couldn't all be his. Suzy lived with three Alphas, and none of them smelled this strongly. He was swimming in them. 

"I'm looking for my two teenage daughters," she said flatly, staring him into his face. "One of them is about yay high," she held her hand up to her shoulder, "with short hair. The other one is about six feet, really skinny, she's got a lot of hair." 

"It's a free country, man. It's the twenty first century. Let them have some fun." The guy put a sweaty hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. 

"They're both fifteen." 

His face turned the color of sour milk. 

"I'll, uh... I'll go tell my bros to find 'em." 

* * * 

"Dude, aren't you a little old to be hitting on college girls?" A good looking person of indeterminate gender looked over at Ross, as he walked from bedroom to bedroom, opening the door and poking his head in. 

"I'm not nearly as old as you think I am," Ross said amicably. "Also, I'm looking for my kids."

"What kind of kids we talking about?" The person followed after Ross, as someone threw a shoe at his head. It bounced off the closed door. 

"Fifteen year old girls," Ross said. "One of them is short and built like a tank, the other one is really tall and skinny, with a lot of hair." 

"Oh jesus." The person covered their face with both hands. "I'm gonna fucking kill Duncan."

"Duncan. Is he perhaps a seedy looking guy with regrettable facial hair?" 

"That's Duncan." 

* * * 

“I didn’t like these parties when I was the right age for them,” Holly mumbled to herself, stalking through the crowded room. Anyone who saw her kept their distance - she was stupid angry, with nerves. 

You would think it wouldn’t be hard to find someone with a halo of hair and six feet tall, but Rhea had an amazing ability to not be seen when she didn’t want to. 

“Hey sweetheart.” A woman wearing a lot of red lipstick smiled at Holly, blatantly checking her out. “I don’t see a lot of Mommy types around here.”

“I’m looking for my daughters,” said Holly through clenched teeth. “They’re fifteen.” 

“Fifteen?” The woman made a face. “Urgh. There’s some creep who keeps giving out invitations to high school girls.” 

“Have you seen a really tall woman, frizzy hair? Wearing a leather jacket.” Holly looked around, shifting from foot to foot, trying to find her daughter. 

* * * 

“Is that Howie?”   
"No way," said Rhea. "Why would she be here?" 

"I dunno. How long did we say we were gonna be gone?" Zip checked her phone, and then she turned about three shades paler than she normally was. 

"You okay, sis?" 

"It's almost one in the morning," said Zip. 

"We can totally sneak back home," said Rhea, filled with the confidence brought on by tattoo endorphins and more alcohol than one is used to. 

"Can you?" 

Howie was blocking the light. She had her hands on her hips, and she was glaring at both of the girls with an intensity that made them feel sorry for birds caught by snakes.

Not that Howie was a snake, but still. 

"H-hi, Howie," said Rhea, and she smiled, trying to put on the charm. When she wanted to, she could get just about all of their parents to drop just about anything. 

Not this time, it seemed.

"Out. Now." Holly pointed towards the door.

"We were just, uh, having a bit of fun," Rhea said, standing up. She was a little wobbly, but she was pretty sure of her ability to convince Howie. 

Howie was easy.

Sometimes. 

"I don't want to hear it," Howe said, slowly and carefully.

Uh oh. 

Whenever she spoke like that... well, trouble was coming.

"We were, uh... just going," Zip said quickly, and she grabbed Rhea's wrist. "Come on."

"Wait by the car," said Howie. 

* * * 

"Out of all of the stupid shit you two have done," Ross told them, as he leaned against the car with them, "I think this ranks pretty high." 

"Aren't you supposed to say how you value our independence and our ability to make decisions as adults?" Rhea tucked her hand under her arm - she didn't think that Howie or Ross had noticed their new tattoos. Hopefully, right? 

"You're not adults," Ross said, and then he narrowed his eyes, looking at Zip specifically. "Why didn't you tell me about this Duncan dude?"

"Because I knew you'd overreact," Zip muttered, and her own hand was tucked into her arm. "He's just a guy I know."

"A twenty five year old guy," Rhea supplied, unhelpful. 

"Shut up, Rhea," Zip said. She sounded tired. "He's... cute, that's all."

"Mm," said Ross, not taking the bait. "So mister Twenty-Five-But-Cute offered to take you here, and Rhea came along because...?"

"He's creepy," Rhea supplied, still swaying. Her hand was really starting to throb, and everything else was just so... almost dreamy. Maybe that stuff she'd had to drink was stronger than the guy had said. "He's been flirting with Zip for months."

"Quit being such a snitch," Zip snapped, and now she looked like she was genuinely upset. "Just because nobody is interested in you...."

"Hey! That was a low blow," Rhea snapped.

"It's true, though," said Zip. "But... Duncan likes me. He says he feels different about me than anyone else he's ever known."

"Right," said Ross. "Well, your moms are coming out soon. Let's see how this goes."

* * * 

The ride home was, quite possibly, the most awkward experience of Rhea's life. And this was a life that contained one twin (in birthday if not in uterus) and three younger siblings. It would take active effort to put much more awkward in it. 

Holly was driving, and she was silent, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. Rhea and Zip could both hear her grinding her teeth. 

Suzy was ranting. She had yelled at the head of the fraternity. She'd shouted Duncan out of the building. The sea of people had parted before her, as if she was some modern day Moses, and she had stamped out. 

She was the one to discover their new tattoos. That had led to another twenty minutes of creative swearing, during which Rhea and Zip knew better than to try to interrupt. When Mom was in a mood... you didn't push your luck. 

* * * 

The worst part, for Rhea, was Dan's face. Her Abba - the parent she was closest to, the one she looked the most like - his whole face had closed off. Once he had seen her, he had frowned, and he had walked out of the room. That had been like a slap in the face. 

Dad had just ranted. Paced in front of where they were sitting on the couch, telling them all the things that could have gone wrong. That they shouldn't have lied, shouldn't have taken Dan's jacket (and jeans and shirt...) and Suzy's dress. That they'd gone to the godforsaken party in the first place. That they were smarter than that. 

"You're not that stupid," Mom said for what felt like the zillionth time. "How could you have gotten yourself fucking... tattooed?" 

"Like you never did something stupid as a teenager." 

Rhea was standing up. Oh fuck. 

Zip covered her face. Things were about to get interesting. 

"I never went to a frat party and let someone intentionally injure me in an -" 

"You've got tattoos!" Rhea indicated the fine black art on Suzy's arm.

"That's different," Suzy snapped. She was tilting her head back, looking up into Rhea's face. 

Rhea was trying to use her height to intimidate. She didn't even realize she was doing it until she was doing it, and by that point, how was she supposed to figure it out. She was... everything was spinning, just so slightly, and she was suddenly angry, fully, gut burningly angry. 

"What do you even know?" Rhea was actually in her mother's face, and she was snarling. All that "Alpha stupidity", as Arin always referred to it, roaring out of her. "What do you even know, you're not an Alpha, you don't even -" 

"Rhea." 

That was Howie. Howie's familiar voice, but it was cold, and it was very, very still. 

Rhea took a step back from Suzy, and she saw with some shock that her mother was crying. "Wait, no, Mom, I -" 

"Come. Here." Howie indicated the space in front of her. 

Rhea slunk over, as Arin wrapped an arm around Suzy's shoulders. She could hear Zip sobbing on the couch. 

"We're going outside," said Holly, stiff. "Can you send Dan out later?" 

"If I can find him," said Ross. He kissed her, gently, and patted Rhea on the shoulder. 

* * * 

"What was that?" In the backyard, by the pigeon loft, Holly seemed to be getting taller. She still barely came up to Rhea's collarbone, but she was definitely inflating with anger.

"I was... I was mad," Rhea said. 

"So you decided to get into your mom's space? You decided to raise your voice?" Holly kept her voice very careful. Very calm. "We didn't raise you like this. _I_ didn't raise you like this." 

"Well... what do you know?" Another flare of anger, like a shot of lava. "I'm just so...." Rhea waved her arms vaguely. "I don't know. Nothing... fits. Nothing is... right.' She was panting, almost crying. "I... I told Zip it was a stupid idea."

"Yeah?" Holly leaned against the picnic table. 

"Yeah," Rhea mumbled. "And I think that Duncan is a creep, but he kept going with her, but I went with them and it actually...." She sighed noisily. "Like, people didn't think I'm a freak." 

"What, because you're an Alpha?" Holy raised an eyebrow. How did she manage to be so calm? Rhea could see that Holly's hands were shaking. 

'Well, yeah, but... like... more than that."

"Do you think I'm a freak? 'cause I'm a female Alpha?" Holly moved to walk into the loft, and the pigeons all cooed and fussed at her. 

"Well, no," Rhea said quickly. "But, like... I'm not like you." 

"Why?" 

"Because... I don't know!" And the anger was back. Rhea began to pace, her boots sending up little puffs of dust.

It had been a very, very dry year.

"Well, try," Holly said, and she sounded at the edge of her own temper. 

"Because... because I look at... all the stuff for Alpha females, and none of that is me, but neither is the stuff for Alpha males. Or Omegas, or Betas, or... any of it. None of it fits me." Rhea kicked a dust ball, which exploded into a bigger ball of dust. "Fuck, none of my _clothes_ fit me, Abba's do. I don't... I don't look like Mom. Or like anyone." 

"You look like Dan," Holly pointed out, a pigeon on her shoulder.

"No I don't," said Rhea. She looked down at her chest and made a face. "Since... you know, all of this." She indicated her body - her very flat chest, her slightly curved hips. Her softer face. 

"... Rhea, you look just like Dan. Practically identical from the back." Holly came out, still holding a pigeon. She looked a lot calmer. 

"No, but... gaah!" She covered her face with both hands, one of which was still bandaged from the impromptu tattoo. "You don't get it."

"Can you try to tell me, at least?" Holly stroked the pigeon. "Because there's something you need to understand." 

"What do I need to understand?" 

Holly took a deep breath. She was sitting at the picnic table now, with the pigeon. His name was Admiral Blathers. 

“Did I ever tell you that your dad and I nearly broke up?” She was talking in a very calm, matter of fact way.

“What, really? No way.” Rhea leaned on her elbows, staring wide eyed at Holly. 

“Yeah. When your dad was pregnant with your sister. I punched a guy out for getting too close and too aggressive.” 

“Oh my god, Howie, that’s fucking… amazing!” Rhea was smiling, ignoring the throb in her hand.

“Oh my god, no, Rhea.” Holly sighed. “No. You missed the point.”

“The point is that our Alpha instincts sometimes make us do stupid shit, but that doesn’t mean it’s the RIGHT thing to do.” Holly looked Rhea in the face, her eyes narrowed. She was even growling. “Your status has nothing to do with your abilities to function as a productive member of society. If I catch you trying to pull that bullshit on anyone, ever again, but especially someone in our family….” Holly snarled, and Rhea whined, tilting her head back, baring her neck for her Alpha. 

They were people, true enough, but there was enough animal left in them that they still did certain things. 

Holly stroked Rhea’s neck, from her cheek to her collarbone. 

“I don’t understand what you’re going through,” Holly said. “But… I love you. You know that, right?” She held her arms open, and Rhea sighed, coming around and cuddling up to Howie the way she always had, when she was small.

“So I’m forgiven?” Rhea’s voice was hopeful, as Holly’s fingers stroked through her hair.

“Oh, god no,” said Holly. “You’re possibly going to be grounded for the next year.” She kissed Rhea on top of her head. “Let’s go in, find out what the rest of the family has decided.”

“This feels like some kind of judgement,” said Rhea, but she stood up, barely wobbling at all. She caught Holly’s disapproving glance, and she smiled nervously. “Might have had a bit to drink,” she admitted.

Holly made a face. “Of course you did,” she said. 

* * * 

Dan didn’t talk to Rhea for three days. He didn’t sit down for dinner even - avoided everyone. Rhea and Zip weren’t allowed to leave the house - they were escorted to and from school every day by some parent. 

Once, humiliatingly, by Cammy, because of course. 

Suzy had a very long talk with Zip about appropriate relationships - Rhea didn’t know the details, but Zip seemed to be kind of forgiven. Still wasn’t allowed to go out solo.

They also had to keep the tattoos, which looked a lot uglier in the light of day. 

That had been Ross’s idea. Of course it had been. 

 

* * * 

“Does it hurt?” 

Rhea nearly jumped out of her skin, hissing through her teeth as she tried to wash her hand. 

“Yeah,” Rhea said, not looking up. She could feel Dan behind her, taking up the whole doorway. 

“Did it hurt getting it?” He stood next to her, taking the washcloth out of her hand and covering it in soap himself. 

“I was so excited I couldn’t tell,” Rhea said. “And, uh, Duncan was kinda close, so I was more focused on distracting Zip.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Duncan?” His big hands were gentle as they wiped the excess plasma and ink off of her hand. 

“Because I wanted to respect Zip’s privacy,” Rhea said, her voice a bit pointed. 

Dan had the good grace to make an apologetic face. He still remembered how Rhea had been… discovered to be an Alpha. As it were. 

“Do you know….” 

“I’m not gonna answer any questions about Zip,” Rhea said. “She’s allowed to have her own personal life without me intruding on it.” 

“Okay, okay,” Dan said, defensive. “I’m just… worried about her.” 

“I know,” Rhea said quietly. She worried about Zip as well. Although she worried more for anyone who would piss Zip off. 

“So you got a tattoo,” Dan said, guiding her hand under the water. “Why?” 

“Because I wanted to,” Rhea said, trying to pull her hand back. “If this is going to turn into a twenty questions -” 

“When did you start coming out at me with your fists out?” Dan’s voice was genuinely sad, and when Rhea looked over at him, his big brown eyes were over bright. “You used to think I was the best thing in the world? When did you start hating me?”

“I don’t hate you!” Rhea bit her lip, watching as her father - the one with her genes, the one who she looked like - spread antiseptic cream across the angry red lines, just like he had spread it on every cut she’d gotten as a child. 

“So why are you avoiding me so much?” 

“I’m afraid you’re mad at me,” Rhea mumbled. 

“Oh, I am. I’m pretty furious,” said Dan. “But that’s not as important as you knowing I love you, okay?” He began to wrap her hand, much neater than when she wrapped it herself. “I… I know you’re going through some stuff. I don’t… understand it, but… if you want to keep borrowing my clothes, we can go out shopping. For your own stuff, I mean.”

Rhea sighed, hugging her Abba. Pressing her ear against his chest. 

“Although I think this tops the dead skunk in terms of stupid shit,” Dan murmured into Rhea’s hair. 

“Am I ever gonna live that one down?” Rhea mumbled into Dan’s chest. He smelled nice. He smelled like her father. Like her family 

Like her Pack.

“Nope,” Dan said, and he kissed her again. “Don’t do that again. The tattooing at a house party, or the skunk.”

“Yes, Abba.”


	29. Gush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New experiences - new relationships - are exciting.

“Hey Ross?” 

“What’s up?” 

“Is it okay if I talk about… well, if I talk about Suzy?” 

“Depends.” Ross lifted his arm up, wrapping it around Holly’s shoulders. “What do you wanna talk about Suzy?”

“... how awesome she is,” Holly mumbled, her face in Ross’s chest. She was blushing, her cheeks heating up pinker than her hair. “And uh.. Maybe some sexual stuff?”

“Oh no,” Ross said, deadpan. “My hot wife is gonna be telling me about hot stuff she does with my equally hot friend.”

“Stop saying “hot”, it doesn’t sound like a word anymore.” Holly was still talking into his chest. “But, like… yeah.” 

“Yeah?” He ruffled her hair, twirling a piece of it around his finger. 

“She’s just so….” Holly paused, looking over at Ross. “She’s… soft, you know? Like… like, you’re not soft. You’re awesome, but you’re all angles and bones.” 

“I’ve got a lot of bones,” Ross said, and he waggled his eyebrows, which made Holly burst out laughing. 

“No, but, like… I’ve never kissed someone wearing lipstick before. It’s… it’s so sticky, and she’s… she smells so good. Like, deep and in the back of my nose and she’s so warm and just….”

“You are totally stupid over Suzy,” said Ross, and he was laughing. “You are so cute.” 

“I think I have a crush on her,” she mumbled. 

“I should hope you do,” Ross said dryly. “Considering how you’ve got a date with her tomorrow night.” 

“You’re the best, you know that?” She leaned up, kissing him on the mouth.

“I try,” Ross said, and he kissed the top of her head. 

* * * 

Holly pulled back from kissing Suzy, breathing heavily. Her hands were on Suzy’s back, sliding up the back of her shirt, fumbling her bra open. 

“Wait a sec,” Suzy mumbled, and Holly pulled back, looking nervous. She was hard, her cock throbbing in her jeans, her pussy wet and desperate. 

“Is everything okay? Do you want me to stop? Did I hurt you?” Holly put her hands behind her own head, tangling them in her own hair. 

“No, no, it’s fine,” Suzy assured her, and she smiled, her cheeks flushed and her chest heaving. Heaving quite a lot.

Holly had never been entirely interested in women - which is not to say she wasn’t _not_ interested, but Suzy was the first woman she’d been physically attracted to, beyond vague masturbation fantasies. 

“Is everything okay?” Holly scanned Suzy’s face, trying to understand what she was feeling. 

“Oh, yeah,” Suzy said. She cleared her throat, and she was blushing. “Just, uh… can I ask something?”

“Yeah?” 

“Do you… are you only interested in me because I’m an Omega?” Suzy fiddled with the hem of Holly’s shirt. “I mean, if that’s all you’re interested in, I’m okay with that, I just… I wanna know where I stand?” She laughed, a bit awkward. “I haven’t, uh… I kinda feel like when I try to touch you… intimately, you get kinda nervous?”

“I’m not just interested in you because you’re an Omega,” Holly said slowly, trying to get her thoughts in order. It had been a bit of a jumble to her - attraction, lust, genuine affection… all mixed up. 

“Yeah?” Suzy’s hands were familiar and solid, resting on Holly’s hips. 

“I’ve… I’m new at doing stuff like this. With an Omega, with a woman, with… anyone. It’s… it kinda makes me nervous, you know?” She laughed nervously. “I… I’m really into you. Like, a lot. I like you a lot. But I’ve never… really done this kinda thing with a woman. So I’m all nervous I’ll screw up, and then I get kinda single minded?” She blushed. “And, uh… you’re so pretty. And sexy, and a ton of other things, and all I want to do is touch you.” 

Suzy laughed - actually laughed. “You are so cute,” Suzy said, and she leaned forward, kissing Holly on the mouth. “How badly do you want to touch me?” 

“So badly,” Holly said fervently, her hands squeezing into fists in her hair, twisting it around and around. 

Suzy grabbed Holly’s hands, pressing them onto her hips. “So touch me,” she said, leaning in for another kiss. 

Holly moaned against Suzy’s lips, her hands moving from Suzy’s hips to her back again, her palms skating across warm, bare skin. She moved her hands forward cautiously, the very tip of her middle finger skating across the scratchy fabric of her bra. 

Suzy pulled back, and she was almost laughing, grinding against Holly. “Can I touch you? Please, Holly….” 

“Yes,” Holly mumbled. It was… it was odd. Not looking into Ross’s face as she kissed and was kissed. 

Suzy’s hands were warm, soft, cupping Holly’s face, then moving down, from her shoulders to her breasts. She pulled back, watching Holly’s face. 

“You… you’ve got some practice, it feels like,” Holly said, and she brought her hands around, then down, holding on to Suzy’s ass. Emboldened by Suzy’s wriggle, she squeezed. 

“So do you,” Suzy said, and she grinned, all teeth. 

Things got a bit blurry after that, in a mess of sweat and kisses. There was a point where Holly had Suzy’s shirt pulled up, her bra pulled down, both of her breasts in Holly’s hands, Holly’s mouth on Suzy’s nipples, moving from one to the other, sucking and licking desperately. Suzy’s mouth on Holly’s neck, biting, no doubt leaving some truly glorious marks, her hips rolling against Holly’s, grinding her ass down on Holly’s cock. More heated kisses, desperate and hungry. 

“Suzy… ah!” Holly grabbed Suzy’s hips, her own hips jerking upwards, panting as heavily and sobbing as she came, her cock spitting cum into her underwear, soaking into her underwear. She sobbed, then went limp, smiling goofily up at Suzy. 

“You did not just cum in your pants.” Suzy’s tone was disbelieving, tinged with playfulness. “Oh my god.”

“Oh god,” Holly mumbled, and she covered her face with both hands. “I can’t believe I just did that.”

“I mean, you’re not the first person to jizz in their pants the first time they’ve really played with someone’s tits,” said Suzy, and she was laughing so hard that she fell forward, her face pressed into Holly’s neck. 

Holly smiled, smoothing her hands across Suzy’s back. She smelled like powder and perfume, a little bit like whatever she’d been using on her latest dead animal acquisition. She smelled like herself. 

* * *   
“You did not just cum in your pants.” Ross took a sip of his wine, and he was laughing, as Holly rubbed her hair dry. 

“Shut up,” Holly mumbled, but she was grinning. 

“Seriously?” 

“I said shut up,” Holly said, and she tossed the towel at him. 

“I guess it happens to everyone,” said Ross. “I mean, the first time I saw a girl topless in front of me I lasted for all of two minutes.” He took another sip of his wine. “Admittedly, I was 15 at the time.” 

Holly pinched him, but he just laughed harder.


	30. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhea is surprisingly good at keeping secrets.

Suzy came into Holly’s work room with a slightly harried expression and closed the door behind her. She sat at the table, and she put her head in her hands.

“What’s up, babe?” Holly looked up from the costume she was hemming. 

“We’re about to have a very awkward conversation,” Suzy said, and she rubbed her face. She wasn’t wearing any makeup today - spending the day home with Rhea, as Rhea rode out a particularly nasty stomach bug.

“What kind of awkward conversation?” Holly put down her sewing, lookin over at Holly, concerned.

“How old were you when you knew you were an Alpha?”

“Um… about… thirteen? Twelve?” Holly tried to think. That had been a… complicated time of life. 

“Did you tell your parents right away?” Suzy kept her face covered. Her voice was faintly muffled. 

“Well, yeah,” said Holly. “When, uh… when certain things started growing in, I freaked out.”

“Rhea’s an Alpha.” 

Holly raised an eyebrow. “I feel like we’d know that by now.”

Suzy uncovered her face to look at Holly. “She might be a late bloomer,” Suzy said. “I didn’t get my first period until I was on the older side of things.”

“Why are you so sure that Rhea is an Alpha?” 

“I… saw certain things. Also, it would explain all of the perfume.” Suzy looked positively mortified. 

“What, you mean she’s got….” Holly indicated between her own legs, looking embarrassed.

“Yeah,” said Suzy. “Unless she’s wearing a really realistic prosthetic and a ton of synthetic hormones.”

“Okay, yeah, it has been a bit… whiffy,” Holly admitted. ‘But I mean, we’ve got two kids going through puberty. They tend to smell.”

“It does explain the perfume though,” Suzy said, in the voice of one who had discovered a hidden truth she wished had remained hidden. “And the cologne.” 

“And the irritability,” Holly said. She sighed gustily. “So how did you actually find out? I know she’s like… ridiculously body shy these days.” 

Rhea hadn’t even worn a bathing suit around the family in over a year, and covered everything in a lot of baggy clothing. She’d also shot up about a foot in height, and her refusal to disrobe outside of the home had made clothes shopping… fun. 

“She’s kinda passed out on the bed, and she’s wearing Dan’s boxers. So, uh….” Suzy looked immensely uncomfortable. “Doesn’t it take a while for it to… grow in?” 

“Yeah,” Holly said. She sighed. “Do you want me to talk to her?”

“I mean, you are the only female Alpha we know,” Suzy said. She sniffed, and Holly was shocked to see that Suzy was actually… crying. 

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Holly stood up, wrapping her arms around Suzy’s shoulders, and Suzy pressed her face into Holly’s stomach and cried. 

“W-w-why didn’t she tell me?” Suzy mumbled. “Is… am I that bad of a mother?” 

“She probably was embarrassed,” Holly said. “God knows I was. And you know Rhea, once she does a thing, she does a thing. So hiding became a thing she did.” She kissed the top of Suzy’s head, still rocking her. “It’s okay, baby. Just let it out.”

When Suzy had cried herself out, she leaned back, wiping her nose and her eyes. “So what do we do now?”

“When she’s feeling better, I’ll talk to her,” said Holly. 

“Okay,” Suzy said, and she sighed. “Can you tell her that you figured it out on your own?”

Holly made a face. “I don’t want to lie to her,” she said. “Although now that I know, it’s… kind of obvious.” She laughed, then she poked Suzy. “I told you Dan and I didn’t need to shower more!” 

Suzy giggled, then hiccuped, her face still blotchy and red. 

“Mom?” 

They both looked up - Rhea was calling. 

“I’ll get it,” said Holly. “You go drink some water. You look horrible.”

“Gee, thanks,” Suzy said, standing up. Her eyes were still red and swollen. “I sure do love how my wife tells me how horrible I look.”

“I point it out because it’s such a rarity for you to look bad,” Holly said, and she kissed Suzy. “Go. I’ve got it covered.”

Suzy went off to get a glass of water, listening as Holly opened Rhea's door, her voice a low, comforting murmur. As much of a curveball as this was, they had it covered. They totally did.


	31. Last Hurrah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suzy & Holly go out for a night, before the latest addition shows up.

“Mom?” 

“What’s up, sweetie?” Suzy was brushing Zip’s hair, helping her get ready for bed. Strictly speaking, Zip didn’t need anyone to brush her hair for her - at ten years old, she more or less got it covered. But Suzy had been doing it since Zip had hair, and some traditions are nice to keep. 

“Where are you going tonight?” Zip tilted her head back, as Suzy worked on getting a particularly tough knot out. 

“Me and Howie are going on a date,” Holly said. “We’re going to go to a restaurant together.” 

“Why go on a date when you see each other all the time?” Zip sighed when Suzy got the knot out. 

“Well, we wanted to do something romantic,” said Suzy. “We haven’t had a chance to do it in a while.” She set the hairbrush down and ran her fingers through Zip’s hair - it was the same honey brown as Arin’s, with Holly’s feathery texture. 

“Okay,” said Zip. She tilted her head up to get a kiss on the forehead, and she sighed, leaning back into her pillows. 

“Night, sweetie,” said Suzy, and she stood up, resting the hairbrush on the dresser and closing the door behind her. She heard the click of Zip’s bedside lamp, and she smiled. 

Holly was waiting for her by the front door, fussing over one of the cats. There was cat hair all over her dress. 

Suzy smiled, attempting to lean down to kiss Holly. It took a bit of effort - she was four months in. Just pregnant enough for it to be a hassle. At least she didn’t feel quite so queasy. 

“Hi,” Holly said, and she licked her lips, looking Suzy up and down. “You look lovely.” 

“I was aiming for handsome,” Suzy teased, as Holly stood up, brushing the cat hair off of her skirt. 

“Well, you look that too,” Holly said. She was looking lovely, in a flowy, flower printed dress. 

Suzy was wearing a pair of slouchy jeans and a very large t-shirt, along with a black leather vest. She had tied her hair back, and her makeup was minimal. 

“So. Ready to go to our first gay bar?” 

“It isn’t our first gay bar,” Holly said “I’ve been to gay bars before.”

“With your wife?” Suzy hooked her arm into Holly’s as they made their way out the door. 

Ross, Dan, and Arin were all on the couch, ostensibly watching a movie, probably sleeping. Rhea and Zip were asleep. Cammy was asleep. 

“Well, okay, no, usually not,” said Holly. “You really want to do this? We could just go to dinner like we said we were gonna.”

“I want a night on the town,” said Suzy. “Before I’ve got another three years of leaky boobs.”

Holly laughed as she unlocked her car, getting behind the wheel. “And you’ll be okay with driving on the way back?”

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” Suzy said. “You’re fussing, Holly.”

“Sorry,” Holly said. “I just worry, you know?”

“I know.” Suzy said, attempting to fasten her seatbelt. 

* * * 

Holly made her way back to the booth where she was sitting with Suzy, holding a soda and a complicated cocktail. She tried not to bump into anyone, but several women did admire her as she went by. 

Suzy smiled when Holly came over, not even being subtle about the way she was checking her out. It made Holly blush, but it was totally worth it. 

“Hey,” Holly said, and she leaned against Suzy, taking a sip of her drink and making a face. “Oh my god, this tastes like nail polish remover.”

“I mean… I think that’s what all alcohol tastes like,” Suzy said, taking a sip of her soda. 

Holly stuck her tongue out at Suzy, who kissed her. It started out as a cute little peck on the lips, but then… well…. 

Suzy pulled back, breathing heavily, and she laughed, breathless. 

“What’s so funny?” Holly tried to fix her hair, which had gotten a bit erratic in the meantime. 

“You got your lipstick on me,” said Suzy, and she delicately wiped at her lips with a napkin.

“That’s a change of pace,” said Holly. “I told you butching it up would feel weird.”

 

“Yeah,” said Suzy. “But it’s pretty fun. People keep giving me assessing looks, then looking at you like they’re afraid to hit on you.”

“Well, I haven’t been hit on by anyone else,” Holly said. 

“I should make sure,” Suzy said, and she scrambled onto Holly’s lap, straddling one knee. 

“Suzy!” Holly put her hands on Suzy’s hips to keep her balance, a bit scandalized. 

“Relax,” Suzy said, leaning back against Holly. Her belly just blushed the edge of the table. “It’s a small space. I’m making room for anyone who’d want to sit next to us. 

“Well, alright,” said Holly, her hands still on Suzy’s hips.

Suzy’s rocking hips. Wait a minute. 

“I’m beginning to sense ulterior motives,” Holly whispered in Suzy’s ear, as Suzy began to grind, her elbows resting on the table, her cunt rubbing against Holly’s thigh through the thin fabric of Holly’s dress and the thick denim. 

“You’re too… suspicious,” Suzy mumbled, still bouncing. It was getting a lot more blatant, but nobody was actually paying any attention. Why would they? There was music and dancing, who cared about the couple tucked into the corner booth in the dark? 

“I think I’m the right amount of suspicious,” Holly countered. Suzy’s shirt was riding up, and in spite of herself, Holly’s thumb stroked the thin band of skin that was bared. “Are you seriously trying to…?”

 

“I am a nice suburban mom like ninety percent of my life,” Suzy said. “Let me let loose a bit.”

Holly snickered, pressing her face into Suzy’s back.

“I don’t think you count as a nice suburban mom when you have a threesome at least once a month,” Holly said, her hand sliding down between Suzy’s legs. It was dark and shadowy enough that nobody would notice. Hopefully. 

Suzy made a surprised noise when Holly’s hand slid into her pants, and she leaned back back against Holly as Holly’s finger found the familiar nub of her clit. “Oh!”

“Hmm?” Holly rubbed with her middle finger, easy little circles, her other hand on Suzy’s belly. 

“I… oh, fuck,” Holly mumbled, and she ground into Holly’s hand, beginning to tense up. 

“I’m not doing that here,” Holly said, and she slid her finger a bit lower, collecting more wetness and pressing it against Suzy’s clit, moving her finger frantically, until Suzy was sighing and gasping, shaking against her. 

“Fuck,” Suzy gasped, and she sagged against Holly, breathing heavily. 

Holly laughed quietly, bringing her fingers up and out, holding them in front of Suzy. 

Suzy took them into her mouth, then tried to discretely button her pants while still sitting down. She sucked, her fingers tracing between them, and licked her lips. 

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Suzy. She slid off of Holly’s lap, and there was a wet patch on Holly’s skirt. It took a minute to realize that it wasn’t actually where Suzy had been sitting. “Someone is excited.” 

“You literally just came in my lap,” Holly hissed, looking extremely embarrassed. “Of course I’m excited!” 

Suzy pulled the table closer - Holly tsked in disapproval, grabbing it herself and pulling it closer. She hated when Suzy did that kind of lifting. 

“What are you planning?” Holly eyed Suzy. That look usually meant something interesting was about to happen. 

Suzy’s hand was small and dry on Holly's’ thigh, and it was sliding under her skirt, wrapping stroking one finger along Holly’s cock through her panties, then moving down, to dip into her pussy through the fabric. 

“Are you… Suzy,” Holly mumbled. “I’m not as… discreet as you.”

“I am the mother of your future child. And your three other ones,” Suzy said, although she was grinning far too widely for it to be good for anyone. “So sit back and enjoy yourself.” She paused, her hand drawing back. “I mean, unless you really wanna stop?”

Holly glanced around, looking over at who was watching them.

Nobody was. 

Holly shivered and sat back, as Suzy’s hand wrapped around her cock through the thin fabric of her panties. She tried not to make it obvious, as Suzy smiled wider.


	32. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shopping for new clothes can be pretty nerve wracking.

“I don’t know anything about clothes,” Dan told Rhea as the two of them walked down the corridors of the mall. “Honestly, most of the time your mom just hands me stuff and I wear it.”

“She said she only does that with, like, underwear and socks,” Rhea said, trailing after him. “You buy your own shirts and pants.”

“I think you might need a slightly different size,” Dan said. “Because you’re, um… you’re shaped a bit differently.”

Rhea flushed, looking down.

“But not by much,” he added quickly, slinging an arm across her shoulders. “Let’s get this over with. We can get ice cream after.”

“Okay,” Rhea said. She was shaking a bit, and he squeezed her, kissing her temple.

“It’s okay, baby bird,” he murmured in her ear. “It’s just a store. We can get what we need and get out.”

“Can you go in without me?” They were standing in front of the place now - mannequins in various positions modeled jeans in the window.

“Sweetie, nobody is gonna care,” he said. “They may think you’re… you know. Gay.” He was blushing, because this… was new territory. He’d never imagined any of his kids being anything but straight, even though he himself wasn’t straight. “But if they give you shit I’ll raise the fucking roof, okay? Don’t tell anyone I said "fuck.”“

”… okay,“ Rhea said, and she wiped her nose on her hand.

"And, uh….” Dan had been meaning to save this for later, but fuck it. She was obviously really nervous. “Howie is getting me a new leather jacket. Since mine is getting kinda frayed. If you, uh… if you’d like, you can have mine.”

“What, really? You love that thing!” Rhea smiled at him, a genuine smile, and he smiled back.

“Well, yeah, because Howie gave it to me,” said Dan. “Anyway, it suits you.”

“Thanks, Abba,” Rhea said quietly, as they stepped through the sliding doors.

“Anything for you, sweetheart,” Dan said.


	33. Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhea finally spills the beans.

Rhea looked down at her ice cream, fiddling with the spoon between her fingers. “Hey, Abba?” 

“Yeah?” Dan sat in the chair at the mall food court. Between the two of them, there was a lot of leg sticking out from under the table. 

“... if I tell you a thing, can you promise not to freak?” She glanced down at her hand, where the ugly tattoo stood out in stark relief against the pale skin.

The parents weren’t letting her get rid of it.

“I mean, you were pulled out of a frat party where your sister was being macked on by a guy not much younger than I am, and you both got home tattoos,” Dan said, putting his hands behind his head. “I feel like I’m kind of out of freak at this point.”

“You’re already a freak,” Rhea said, and she smiled at him nervously. 

They’d grown apart, since the last year or so, but… well, she missed him. 

“Very funny,” Dan grumbled. “So what’s this news you want to tell me?” 

“... I don’t think I’m a girl,” Rhea said, staring down into her ice cream. It was half melted. 

“No? Are you a guy?” Dan’s voice sounded pretty nonchalant. 

“I… don’t think so?” She sighed, putting her head in her hands. 

Was it wrong that she was using the term “she”? It felt… she wasn’t sure, but nothing else felt… comfortable. 

“So you’re… hold on, I read about this.” Dan stared up at the ceiling, and when she peeked up at him, he was wearing a concentrating expression. “You’re… genderqueer?” 

“It feels weird hearing you say that word,” Rhea said. 

“What, queer?” Dan snorted, reaching over to ruffle her hair. “In case you missed it, babes, I’m married to two dudes. It’s kind of hard for me to claim “straight” anymore.” 

“Well, okay,” Rhea said. “But, uh… yeah. I’m not a girl. I think I’ve known a long time.”

“I’m not surprised,” Dan said. “Since you were about five, you’ve hated being referred to as a girl, or any stuff like that.”

“Yeah,” Rhea said, twiddling her thumbs. “I, uh… yeah.”

“Do you want a new name?” Dan’s voice was soft, and he took her hand in his, squeezing her fingers. 

“I dunno,” Rhea said. “I still want to be a bird.”

“We can talk to Howie about that,” said Dan. “Do you want me to tell the rest of the family?” 

“Nah,” said Rhea. “I’ll tell them.” She covered her face with both hands and groaned. “How am I gonna explain this to Ella and Jemma?”

“Ella should get it.” Dan said. “Jemma… might take a while, but we’ll get there.”

Rhea’s heart sang. He’d said “ _we_.” 

* * * 

“So I’m not a girl,” Rhea said, sitting cross legged on her bed as her mother applied makeup. 

“What do you mean?” Suzy, one eye made up, the other one still “naked,” turned around, staring at her daughter. 

“I’m not a girl,” Rhea said again. “I’m, uh… I’m genderqueer.”

“So… you’re a boy?” Suzy leaned back against her vanity. She looked… she looked like someone had kicked her in the gut. 

Guilt sank into Rhea’s belly like a cannonball. 

“No,” Rhea said. “I’m… not either. I don’t think so, at any rate.”

“Are you gonna wanna have surgery?” Suzy put her makeup brush down, and she stared at Rhea, as if she was seeing her for the first time. 

“I… don’t know,” Rhea said. “I mean, like….” She huffed. “I… I haven’t been a girl for a long time. If I ever was one.”

“Are you sure you aren’t just, like... butch? Or is this because you’re an Alpha? Because Alphas can be women. I’m sure we could find a group of female Alphas to -”

Rhea bit her lip to keep from tearing up. “No, Mom,” she said. “I’m not a girl. It’s not because I’m an Alpha. I just… I don’t know.” She choked back a sob, and then, to her eternal disgust, she was crying, ugly crying, sobbing into her hands. 

“Sh, no, it’s okay,” Suzy said, and the bed dipped down next to Rhea, as Suzy wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “No, listen to me, baby, okay? You’re my kid. I carried you for nine months and I nursed you and you turned into your own person, okay?” She kissed Rhea on the forehead, and she wrapped her arms around Rhea. 

“I’m sorry,” Rhea mumbled. “I know… I know you wish you had, like, a real daughter. Not a defective one. I’m sorry I”m not -”

 

“I’ve got four other daughters,” Suzy said. “I’d say that’s more than most people have.” She took Rhea’s cheeks in her hands, wiping the tears off with her thumb. “Listen. If you wanna be my son, or just my… offspring, that’s okay. As long as I’m still your mother.”

“Of course you’re still my mom,” Rhea said. “I mean... .” She sniffed. “I don’t want another mother.”

“Good,” said Suzy, wrapping her arms around Rhea again and squeezing tightly. “I don’t think we have room for another person in this house anyway.”

Rhea burst out laughing, a gasping, wet laugh, staining Suzy’s shirt with her tears. 

“I’ll be okay,” Suzy said. 

“I know,” Rhea said, and she sighed, relaxing into Suzy’s embrace. 

* * * 

“Um.” Rhea glanced over at her father, as they drove to the grocery store. “Uh.”

“What’s up?” Arin glanced over at her, his expression worried. “Is everything okay? You’ve tried to start a conversation like four times already.”

“I’m trying to figure out how to say it,” Rhea said. 

“Just say it,” Arin said. “We’ll sort it out later if it comes out wrong.”

“That’s what she said,” Rhea mumbled, and started to giggle. 

Arin rolled his eyes, then snickered. “That didn’t even make sense,” he told her. “C’mon. Spit it out.”

“I’m not a girl,” Rhea said, staring up at the telephone wires going by. “I’m… I’m genderqueer.” 

“... huh,” said Arin, as they made a turn. 

“I tell you my big life thing, and you just say ‘huh’?” Rhea gave him a Look. At least she was starting to relax about dropping the big news. She’d told the two people she had thought would freak out the most. 

“I dunno, how am I supposed to react?” 

“Well, uh, you could stop making Fiddler on the Roof jokes,” Rhea said. “Stop calling Abba Tevye.” 

“Nah,” said Arin, and he grinned at her. “Do you want me to call _you_ anything different?” 

“... maybe? I dunno yet.” 

“I’ve, uh….” Arin cleared his throat. “You know you can be a girl and still like dude stuff, right? Like, I’m still a guy. Even though I love pink and stuff.”

“I know,” Rhea said. “I’m just… not. A girl.”

 

“You’d know better than I would,” said Arin, as they pulled into the grocery store parking lot. 

* * * 

“How could I make my chest look… flatter?” Rhea stood on a stool in the work room, as Holly circled around her with a tape measure and a bolt of fabric. 

“Wear a shirt?” Holly stood back, tapping her lip with her index finger. “Why couldn’t this damn client be a bit more specific in what they were asking for?” 

“Why am I your dressmaker dummy?” Rhea complained, her arms spread out on either side of her.

“Because you’re home and not doing anything,” said Holly. 

“Could you make me a binder?” 

“What, for, like, papers? We could just get one at the stationary store.” Holly took a step closer to Rhea, pinning a piece of fabric tighter, emphasizing Rhea’s waist. 

“No, for my… you know, my chest,” Rhea said, blushing. “I’m… I wanna look more like… you know, myself.”

“And yourself doesn’t have boobs?” Holly crouched in front of Rhea, beginning to pin up the hem. “When did your feet get bigger?”

 

“I have no idea,” Rhea said grumpily. “I’m trying to tell you I’m not a girl!”

“Why not?” Holly brought the skirt up higher. 

“I don’t know,” Rhea said, exasperated. 

“Is it because you’re an Alpha? Because you can be a girl and still be an Alpha.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Rhea actually growled - she was getting awfully tired of that line. 

“Hey! Don’t you growl at me!” Holly stood up, and even though she was much shorter than Rhea at that angle, she still managed to be intimidating. She was even showing her teeth. 

Rhea deflated. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just… I know I’m not a girl. I know I’m an Alpha, you know? It just feels… right. But I’m not a girl.”

“Are you a boy?” Holly went back to hemming, although it was clear she was still tense, her shoulders around her ears. 

“No,” Rhea said. “I’m… something else. I guess I’m genderqueer?” 

“I wish you wouldn’t use that term,” Holly said, clucking her tongue.

“Hmph,” said Rhea, but she didn’t argue. “So, uh… I’m not a girl.”

“If you want me to make you a binder, I need to measure your… chest,” said Holly. 

“Are you accepting me not being a girl?” Rhea held her breath.

“Well, I mean, it’s not like I can’t. You know who you are, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to argue with you about it.” Holly sat back on her heels. “There. This is the third alteration, they better not complain about it….” 

“Okay,” Rhea said, and she sighed. “Do you, uh… do you know any boys names that are still birds? Because I… I want to stick to being a bird.” 

Holly glanced up at her, and she grinned. “I’ll look into it,” she promised. “When I finish with this client. If I don’t kill them first!”

* * * 

“Ross, I’m not a girl.” 

“I figured.” 

“What?!” Rhea dropped the dish towel she had been drying dishes with, looking at him with her mouth open.

“Let’s see,” Ross said, putting down the sponge and counting on his fingers. “Since you were, like, five, you’ve hated being called a girl. You need to be tied down to be put into a dress. You steal Dan’s clothes -”   
“Don’t you steal Howie’s clothes?”

“That’s different. We wear the same size shirt.” Ross shrugged and went back to washing the dishes. “So you’re a guy?” 

“No,” Rhea said. “I’m… not sure what I am.”

“That’s fine,” Ross said amicably. “Just keep me posted. I wanna make sure I’m not fucking up when I introduce you to people as “my daughter” or whatever. Don’t tell your mom I said “fuck.””

“I thinks she’s used to it by now,” Rhea said, and she leaned against him, putting her chin on his head.

“You know, this was easier when I could just pick you up,” Ross said, his arms wrapped around her middle. 

“You could still do that. I weigh, like, nothing.”

Ross snorted, and let her go. “Keep drying,” he said.


	34. Thud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhea begins walking the way she does everything else in life - full throttle.

Rhea was telling Dan a story. 

At least, that was what Dan assumed she was doing. He caught maybe one word in six - “Abba,” “moose,” “Mama,” “cow,” - the rest of it was all garbled, syllables rising and falling like actual speech. Maybe that was what English sounded like to people who didn’t speak it?

Dan was doing the dishes, standing on a spread out blanket, and Rhea was sitting on the floor next to him, stacking cups as she talked. It was a chill evening - dinner had gone off without too much trouble, Dna had been put on dish duty while Arin gave the girls their baths. Then Rhea had been set down next to him, and now… this totally counted as father daughter bonding time, right?

“Uh huh,” Dan said, glancing down at Rhea when she made a noise that sounded like a question. “You’re totally right.” 

There was pressure on his leg, and he glanced down again. Rhea was standing, holding on tightly to his leg. This was a newish development. At least she more or less stayed in one place now, when she wasn’t crawling around. 

“An….”

“And?” He ruffled her hair, going a bit zen as he rinsed off one of the girl’s plates. “What happened next?”

Silence. Silence, and the pressure on his leg was gone. He glanced over, and there was Rhea, taking a tentative step. 

“Arin! Suzy! Someone!” He watched, transfixed, as she took another step, not holding on to him. He smiled at her, and she looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.

Then she ran. Full tilt ran, straight towards the table. 

Wherein she hit it, full speed. And then proceeded to scream at the top of her lungs, sitting flat on the floor in her owl jammies, her face screwed up and tears dripping down her face. 

“Oh, fuck, no, little bird,” Dan said, and he picked her up, rocking her back and forth, kissing the big red bruise that was already growing on her forehead.

Rhea kept screaming, as Arin skidded into the room. “What happened?”

“Rhea took her first steps,” said Dan. 

“What, really?” Arin moved closer, kissing the top of Rhea’s head. “So what happened?”

“She ran. Into the lip of the table.” Dan sighed guiltily, and he jiggled her, as she screamed. 

“... this is our life now,” said Arin, in a resigned tone of voice. “We just need to get used to it.” He went to the freezer, getting a few ice cubes and grabbing a kitchen towel.

“What, our children in constant peril?” Dan kept walking her, trying to be careful. She was going to have a truly spectacular bruise.

“They’ve been in constant peril since they were born.” Arin handed Dan the ice. “It’s just going to be interesting, now that they’re more… mobile.” He kissed Rhea tenderly, as she quieted down. “Little bird, let’s not do any more of that, okay? Nice and safe.”


	35. Facts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cammy has some facts about Jemma.

“Mommy! I have a list!” 

Suzy, two thirds asleep and setting the new baby into the crib, blinked over at Cammy. 

“What?” Suzy sat down. “What list?” 

“Howie told me to make a list of facts about her.” 

“Were those Howie’s exact words?” 

“Well, technically she said ‘Cammy, please go find something to do, I haven’t slept in two days’ and then I went to Ross and he said to go to Abba and Abba said I should collect some facts about the new baby.”

“Do you mean Laura?”

“I don’t like that name.” Cammy wrinkled her nose. “Fact number one. Laura is a dumb name.”

“Camilla….” 

* * * 

“Fact number four! Her name is Lupercalia!” 

“Gah!” Dan jerked awake, which woke the baby on his chest up. She started screaming. “Cammy….”

“No, see, look! Lemme hold her!” Cammy held her arms out. “She’s _my_ sister.” 

“Cammy,” Dan said, and he yawned. “Her name is Laura. Laura Jemma.” 

“Okay. Jemma is also her name.” Cammy nodded, and then she went out of the room.

“Thanks for that,” Dan said to the empty room, as Jemma kept screamng. 

* * * 

“Fact eight!” 

“How many facts are there?” Holly had Jemma over her shoulder, and the baby was whimpering. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? I’ve fed you. I’ve burped you. I’ve played with you. I’ve changed you. What’s wrong.”

“Take her socks off,” said Cammy. “She hates having her feet covered.”

 

“How do you figure?” Holly, desperate, did it anyway. 

And she stopped screaming.

“She does that when you take them off.” 

“...huh.”

* * * 

“Fact twenty!” 

“How many facts are there?” Ross held Jemma in his lap, as she gummed at his fingers, as he tried to draw with his other hand. 

“A ton,” said Cammy. “Wanna hear fact twenty?”

“Sure,” said Ross. “What’s fact twenty?” 

“Jemma doesn’t like eyes.” said Cammy. 

“What?” Ross looked down at Cammy, raising an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

“Watch.” Cammy crouched down in front of Jemma, so they were more or less eye to eye. Jemma fussed, turning her head this way and that, whining and whimpering. “She hates it.” 

“... huh,” said Ross, and he filed that away for later use. 

* * * 

“Fact forty seven!” 

“You don’t have to announce them like that, you know,” said Arin, as Jemma lay on the floor, kicking in her feetie pajamas. “You can just tell us.”

“It’s more fun this way,” Cammy said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“So what’s fact number forty seven?” Arin’s big hand was on Jemma’s tummy, and she was squirming, waving her hands in the air. 

“She’s _my_ sister.” Cammy patted Jemma’s head.

She never did get why that made Arin burst out laughing.


	36. The Road Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's better to do than drag five adults (one of whom is pregnant) & two kids on a cross country road trip?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SORRY FOR THIS BEAST!
> 
> "Spotted Cow" belongs to Steeleye Span.

"We should go on a road trip," said Dan. 

"Excuse me?" Holly leaned back into her chair, rubbing her back. "I think I must have misheard you. You did not just say we should have a road  
trip, after we've just bought a house and moved in."

"While Arin is pregnant," Suzy called from the kitchen. 

"No, listen, hear me out," said Dan. "We're having the big ceremony in four months, right?" 

"Yeah," said Ross, taking a swig of milk. He was sweaty from putting up bookshelves all day. "We shouldn't really be taking off on some ridiculous trip for that."

"But we're not gonna be able to have a honeymoon," Dan continued. "Because, like, Arin is gonna be a whale by then -" 

"Hey!" Arin, still a bit green around the gills, prodded Dan in the side. "The girls are finally asleep." He gave Ross a Look. "Tell me again why you taught them 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall?" 

"It was a long car ride," Ross said defensively. "And Dan wants to go on a road trip." 

"When? We've just moved in." Arin sat down at the table, sighing. He was four months in, starting to show, queasy all the time and exhausted. 

"I was thinking, if we rushed through all the ceremony stuff, we could go on a road trip before we have the ceremony. So we could have something like a honeymoon. You know, so, uh... since we can't have one after the ceremony. Since Arin is gonna be, like, ten months pregnant."

"Oh god, don't jinx it," Arin groaned, covering his face with both hands. "Please. I just want to stop being pregnant."

"How can you want to stop being pregnant? You're barely pregnant." Dan moved to wrap his arms around Arin, bending nearly in half, his chin on Arin's shoulder.

"Shut up," Arin mumbled, but he nuzzled into Dan's cheek, sighing. 

"I say we do it," Suzy said, unexpectedly.

"What?" Holly raised an eyebrow.

"Dan's got a point," said Suzy. "I mean... we're not gonna have a chance to have a full on family vacation for a few years."

"I'm not getting stuck in a tiny van with everyone," said Ross. "Especially not with our two acid lemurs."

"Can you stop calling our kids acid lemurs? Someone is gonna think it's a drug related thing." Dan rested his hands on Arin's belly, his face in Arin's neck. Fuck but he smelled so good. 

"Tell you what," said Holly. "If you can figure out a way for this road trip to work with two six year olds, a very pregnant person -" 

"I'm not gonna be very pregnant until it's been six months, and we can't just go that close to the ceremony -" 

"Regardless," Suzy said, talking over Ross and Holly - "if you can figure out how to make this work, we can at least... consider it seriously."

Dan smiled brightly enough to break a heart - or four different hearts - and moved to kiss Suzy. "I am gonna blow your collective socks off," said Dan. "You'll see."

* * * 

"An RV?" 

"It does solve the space problem." 

"... fair." 

* * * 

"Abba? What are all those lines?" Rhea, sitting on Dan's lap, looked down at the big map spread out on the kitchen table. 

"Those are roads," said Dan. "See? We're gonna go from... here... to here." He traced the line from California to Florida. "Then we're gonna go... here." Another line, from Florida to New Jersey. "Then we're driving back home." 

"Why are there so many roads?" Rhea held on to Dan's shirt, sucking her thumb.

Dan absently tapped her wrist, pulling her thumb out. "We're gonna see the desert, and New Orleans, and a lot of other stuff," he said. "And then we're gonna see Grandpa and Gramma, and then we're gonna go see Sabba and Safta." 

"Will there be dinosaurs?" Rhea pouted, twisting the hem of Dan's shirt between her fingers. 

"No, sweetheart, no dinosaurs." He drew a line with a purple marker. "We're gonna see the Grand Canyon, though."

"What's the Grand Canyon?" 

"You'll see." 

* * *

"This thing is huge," said Ross, sticking his head into the RV that Dan had parked in their driveway "This is gonna be like driving a boat."

"Would you rather have a smaller one?" Dan nudged Ross out of the way, pulling a big bag full of plushies after him. "I'm sure we can find a way that we can sleep out every night."

"Never mind," Ross said quickly. "I'm good with this." 

* * * 

"So," Suzy said, looking critically at the RV, tapping her lower lip with her index finger. "Sleeping arrangements."

"Arin gets the bed," Dan said.

"Why does Arin get the bed?" Ross had an arm wrapped loosely around Holly's waist, leaning against her. The RV was parked in their driveway, and they were leaving in the morning. 

"Because Arin is five months pregnant," said Arin. "The girls can sleep with me?"

"I dunno," Suzy said. "Zip kicks in her sleep. I was thinking they could sleep in the loft over the cab. Maybe one of the adults could sleep in with them?" 

"So that's three people," said Ross. "What about the rest of us?"

"I mean, the bed can fit three people if they're close," said Arin. "We could rotate?" 

"Fair enough," said Suzy. "Hmm. Well, there's also the couch, which pulls out to be a bed." 

"Okay," said Dan. "And we’ve also got the tent?"

"Why a tent?"

"Well, it could get crowded with all of us in there. Too hot, you know?" Dan cleared his throat, looking slightly embarrassed and more than slightly lecherous. "Also, you know, if anyone wants some... alone time with someone else."

"You're seriously suggesting we fuck in a tent while our kids are nearby?" Holly laughed incredulously. "That's...."

"We're going to be in a tent, they'll be in the RV. There'll be a closed door." Dan cleared his throat again, clearly embarrassed. "We're not gonna be able to actually... well, do much of anything, once Arin pops -" 

"Thanks for putting it so nicely," Arin said dryly. 

"He's got a point," Ross said, slinging an arm around Arin's shoulders and resting his other hand on Arin's belly, which was already starting to bulge out a bit. "Who's our little cock block."

"I swear to god," Arin said, and he glared over at Ross. Then he burst out laughing, both hands on his belly, and Suzy was on his other side, wrapping her hand around Arin's waist, hip to hip. 

"... what kind of tent are we talking about?" Arin asked, as Dan pressed closer, belly to belly, the flat planes against the heavy curve. 

* * * 

"Why are we packing all this stuff?" Zip sat on the bed, watching as Suzy filled another suitcase. 

"Well, we're gonna be gone for a while," said Suzy, folding up Zip’s bright purple raincoat and putting it in the suitcase. 

"Why?" 

"Well, we wanted to go out before the new baby is born-" 

"Why is there gonna be a new baby?" Zip hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them and staring up at Suzy. 

"Well, we decided that we wanted to have another baby-" 

"Why?"

"Zip." Suzy gave her a Look. "I need to finish a sentence in order to explain stuff to you. No more questions until I've answered one, okay?" 

"Okay," Zip said, but she was pouting. 

"So which question did you want the answer for first?"

"Why is there gonna be a new baby?" Zip tucked a piece of hair behind her ear - it was already growing out, almost as long as Arin's, although it was as feathered as Holly's. 

"Because we all talked and decided we wanted to have another baby," said Suzy, slowly and carefully. "Since we've got so much love to share." 

"Is that the full answer?" Zip nibbled on her thumbnail.

"Yes," said Suzy, and she smiled at Zip. "What's your next question?"

"When's the baby gonna be here?" 

"In four and a half months."

"How do you know?" 

"Well, um." Suzy paused. She was blushing. "It takes a while for a baby to be... ready."

"When do you know the baby is gonna be ready in the first place? Where does it start?" Zip looked up at Suzy with frank curiosity. 

"Well, uh... the baby was... started at a certain point. So we just count from there." 

"How was the baby started?" 

"Howie! Fancy seeing you here!" 

Holly, walking by the door, paused, raising an eyebrow. "I do live here," she pointed out. "That's why we moved here." She grinned.

"Hey Zip," said Suzy. "Why don't you go color with Howie?" She shot Holly a Look. 

"You wanna try the new watercolors?" Holly offered Zip a hand, as they walked towards the play room. 

"Howie? How does the baby get started?" 

Holly nearly tripped. 

"I'll, uh... we can talk about that... later," she said. 

"But I want to talk about it _now_ ," Zip said, digging her heels in and crossing her arms. 

Holly took a deep breath and sighed. She was so going to get Suzy for this. 

"Well, um, it starts out when two people care about each other very much...." 

* * * 

“What, _really_? That’s gross!” 

“So how about those watercolors, huh?” 

“Can I go play with Rhea?” 

* * * 

“You did _what_?!”  
Holly held her hands out defensively. “I couldn’t just… lie to her,” she said. 

“Well, now we know that Rhea knows about it.” Arin leaned back into his chair, both hands on his belly. 

“We got it over with early,” Dan said. 

“We can worry about it when we’re on the road,” Suzy said. “Have you guys packed?” 

“Yes, Mommy,” they all chimed, in the same tone of voice that Rhea and Zip used. 

Suzy snorted. 

* * * 

"Are we still in California?" Rhea sat at the table in the RV, swinging her feet and staring out the window.

"Yeah," said Arin. He opened up the atlas, covering up their coloring books, and turned to a particular page. "See that big chunk, all the way over here?" 

"Yeah?" Rhea leaned against Arin's side, sucking her thumb.

Arin pulled her thumb out of her mouth. "Do you want braces? Because braces suck."

"They really do," called Holly from the front seat. "Your whole mouth hurts!"

"But that's not gonna be for, like, twenty years," said Rhea, her thumb going back into her mouth. 

She never did understand why all of her parents burst out laughing at that. 

"Well," Arin said, pulling her thumb out of her mouth again, and covering her hand with his, pointing at the long line of California, "we're over here." He pointed to approximately where they were. "We're going to stay here." He pointed much further down, at the campsite that they were going to be staying that night. 

"And me and Zip get the loft?" 

"Yeah," said Arin. "Unless you want to sleep with me in the bed."

"Where's Abba sleeping?" 

"Abba's sleeping on the couch," said Dan, from his spot on the couch. He had a book open on his chest, and Zip was conked out with her head on his chest, snoring quietly. 

"And Howie?" 

"Also sleeping on the couch," said Holly. She was sitting next to Zip, her head on Dan's shoulder. They had started out early, and everyone was a bit sleepy.

"Me and Ross are sleeping with Daddy," said Suzy. 

"Are you all gonna fit?" 

"We made sure," said Suzy, as the highway unfolded in front of her. 

"Okay," Rhea said, satisfied. She leaned against Arin, his big belly pressing into her lower back.

* * * 

"How are we gonna take baths?" Zip sat on a fold out chair, as all the adults bustled around, setting up a campfire and a grill over the fire. 

"You're not," said Arin, sitting in his own chair. "We've got a shower house. You're gonna go in with Mommy or Howie."

"Okay," Zip nodded. Then she bolted up and grabbed Rhea by the back of the hair, yanking her away from the fire. "Don't do that!"

"I was totally fine," Rhea said, sitting flat on her bottom and staring up at Zip indignantly. "Abba said my hair is...," she made a face, trying to get the words out right, "inflammable."

"That means it can catch fire," said Arin. He pointed between his legs. "Come sit with me, birdy."

Rhea sat on the ground between her Daddy's legs, staring up at the sky with an awestruck expression. 

"Daddy?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Why's there so many stars? Do they, like, come out more here?"

Arin laughed, leaning forward to comb his fingers through Rhea's hair. He could just barely make it - it helped that she was tall, and her hair was so big. "They're always there, sweetheart," he told her. "We just usually can't tell."

"Oh," Rhea said. "I want to see more of it." 

"Ask Howie about the stars," Arin said. "Just, when she's done with cooking her dinner." 

"Okay," said Rhea, still staring up. 

* * * 

The girls were asleep. The adults all sat around the fire, in various forms of stretch. Suzy was cuddled up between Holly and Ross, and Dan was sitting where Rhea had been, his head against Arin's belly. 

"So the first day went off without too much trouble," said Suzy, yawning. 

"Don't jinx it," Ross said, his head on her shoulder, drowsy. 'We're going to end up with someone pissing the bed or catching the flu or something."

"Why do you always think the worst is gonna come?" Holly yawned. She could hear Zip talking quietly in her sleep. 

"Saves me from disappointment," Ross said. He was staring into the fire, his eyes sleepy. He was even sitting still. 

Go figure. It only took raising two babies to get Ross to learn how to stay completely still. 

Dan was drowsing himself, when something hit him in the back of the head. It had felt like Arin was prodding him, and he looked up to give Arin an annoyed look, only to see Arin holding on to his belly with a surprised expression. 

"Did it move? Was that the baby?" Dan spun himself around, making a little dust cloud, and he put both hands on Arin's belly, pressing his forehead against it. 

"Yeah," Arin said, a bit breathless. 

"Hi in there," Dan said, pressing his face into Arin's belly and kissing it. "Hi, it's me." 

* * * 

"So it's just a big hole in the ground?" Rhea stared out the window as they went down the road, tapping out a rhythm on the table of the RV. "Can't we go just dig a hole in our back yard?"

"It's a lot bigger than that," said Holly, separating Rhea's hair into three sections in an attempt to make it do something other than poof out. When she turned five, Dan's genes had taken over. More than they already had - she was already on her way to very skinny. 

"How big? Could we fit the RV in it?" The RV was the latest thing used to measure things.

"We could fit, like, a million RVs in it," Holly said, beginning to brush Rhea's hair. She had the girl wedged between her thighs, holding a hair tie in her teeth. 

"Could we fit the new house in it?" Rhea stared out the window, saucer eyed.

"We could fit the Empire State Building in it," said Holly. 

"What about a whale?"

"It wouldn't be very nice to the whale," Holly said, as she began to braid Rhea's hair. It was a bit of a losing battle, but she held on tightly. 

Ross was sitting on the couch, Zip next to him. Zip was reading a picture book to herself, mouthing along with the words. 

"Well, okay. What if there was a land whale? How big would its legs be?" 

"They'd have to be pretty big," said Holly, and she refused to look up. If she met anyone's eyes, she'd start laughing. 

Arin, sitting in the front seat, made a slightly annoyed noise, and that made Holly begin to laugh, hard enough that she lost hold of Rhea's hair, which sprang back to its familiar halo around her head. 

"Oh my god," Dan said, and then he was laughing, from the other side of the table, laughing hard enough that he had to rest his face on the book laid out in front of him. 

"I don't get it," Rhea mumbled, making a face.

"Give it some time," Holly said, and she kissed the top of her head, beginning to separate the thick curls again. 

* * * 

They pulled off to a scenic overlook at the edge of the canyon, a big empty spot with a wooden guard rail and a little plaque explaining something or other on it. 

Rhea walked to the edge with her usual aplomb, and Dan followed after her, his water bottle jammed into his pocket. He didn't want her to fall off. If anyone was going to fall off, it would have been Rhea. 

Rhea was just... frozen, her hands on the guard rail, staring down.

"It's so... big," she said, and she sounded absolutely stunned. He'd never seen her like this before. 

"Yeah," Dan said, and he put his hand on her head, as she leaned against him, her head against his ribs. 

"Is it old?" 

"Yeah," said Dan. "Really old."

"Older than Grandpa?"

"Older than America." 

"How can something... be older than...." She trailed off, and she was staring down. 

Dan noted that she was shaking, which was... unexpected. Rhea didn't usually get knocked down by stuff. Especially by stuff like this. She'd seen the Redwoods before, and had been suitably impressed. 

"Oh," Rhea said in a soft voice, and Dan looked down at her, worried. "Abba?" 

"What's up, little bird?" He tucked her braid over her shoulder, stroking it with his big fingers. She liked when he played with her hair. 

"Abba, it's scary," she mumbled. "That... that there's so much time. And it's so big." 

"I know, sweetheart," said Dan. "It's kinda scary to me, too." He hadn't really seen the Grand Canyon before. It was... it was huge. It was huge and beautiful and slightly terrifying. No wonder she was frozen. 

"... Abba?" Rhea pressed her face into his belly, and she sounded on the verge of tears. "Abba... I peed my pants."

"Oh, sweetie." That was... unexpected. She hadn't had any trouble like that since she was very, very small. "Do you want to go back and get some clean pants?" 

"No! Don't tell anyone!" Rhea looked up at him, desperate. 

Dan pulled his water bottle out of his pocket and unscrewed the top. "Step back, honey," he told her. 

She did as instructed, looking a bit confused. 

Dan dumped the water across her belly, letting it run down her waist, covering up any evidence. 

"Rhea!" He said loudly, "how'd you manage to drop all that water?" 

She stared up at him, and she began to smile.  
* * * 

Zip made a disgusted noise and threw her crayon down, pressing her face into her hands and making an annoyed noise. 

"What's up?" Ross was sitting next to her at the picnic table, his tablet out. 

"I can't get the... color right," Zip said, indicating the view. They were staying at a camp ground right by the Grand Canyon, on the lip. 

"Yeah? It looks pretty close to me." Ross glanced down. "Why's the color wrong?"

"It's...." Zip searched for a word, and then she sighed. "It just doesn't work." 

"What would work?" 

Zip leaned against Ross, fiddling with her crayons, waggling them between her fingers. "I don't know. The colors...." She did something, pointing to the array in front of her. "They're... they're deeper. You know what I mean? Like, the red isn't... _just_ red." 

"I understand," said Ross. "How about... you try layering the colors a bit?"

"Layering?" 

"Yeah," said Ross, pulling another piece of paper to him. "See, if I put the yellow down first, then the orange, it looks deeper." 

"Deeper," Zip said, and she nodded. "Can you do that with other colors?"

"Sure," said Ross. "What color?"

"How about... purple?" 

* * * 

"Abba, sing," said Rhea, sitting in Dan's lap and holding on to the sleeve of his shirt. 

"What do we say?" Dan jiggled Rhea on his lap, and she giggled, holding on. 

"Please, Abba. Please sing." 

"Okay." Dan took a deep breath and began to sing quietly, the old favorite. "You're the most beautiful girl in the-" 

"No!" Rhea shoved him in the chest. "Not that one!" 

"Rhea," Holly said sharply. 

"... sorry," Rhea said, and she pressed her face into his neck. "I don't... don't sing that one anymore. To me." 

"Why?" 

"I don't like it," Rhea said stiffly. 

"Why?" 

"I just don't," Rhea said, and she made to move off of his lap, squirming. 

Dan wrapped his arms around her middle, holding her in place and kissing her loudly on the temple. "I'm sorry, little bird," said Dan. "What do you want me to sing?"

"The cow song!" 

"... the cow song?" Dan looked at her blankly. 

"You know. The cow song. The one Howie was singing." 

"What are you talking about?"

"'One morning in the month of June,'" Rhea said, and Dan laughed a bit nervously. 

"... oh. That song." He cleared his throat, and made eye contact with Holly. 

She was giggling, as Ross and Zip kept coloring. 

"Sing it, please?" She looked up at him with her big green eyes. 

"Well, okay," said Dan. It was... well, it was a bawdy song, but it was at least a.. subtle one? 

Kind of. 

Subtle to a six year old, at least. 

* * *

"Abba?" Rhea was lying on her tummy in the loft. "Where are you going?"

"Me and Howie are going for a walk," Dan said. 

"It's dark out. Why go walk out in the dark?" Zip sat up, looking at them as well.

"We're going to go look for cuckoo nests," said Holly. "You guys go sleep, okay?" She stood on tiptoe and kissed each of them. 

"Sleep well," Dan said, and he kissed them as well. 

"Have a nice... walk," Suzy said, with just enough pause to make Holly blush. 

Arin grinned at them, his book open across his belly, lying flat on the bed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added.

Holly snorted, as they made their way towards the woods, holding his hand. 

"Cuckoo's nests? Really?" Dan glanced at her, and he was giggling, as they crept into a dark corner, sheltered by a bunch of trees. 

"I was trying to think of something," Holly said defensively. She leaned back against a convenient tree and turned her face up towards his. "Why don't you kiss me?"

Dan was smiling when he leaned down, and he kissed her soundly, his hands in her hair, her hands on his hips. They hadn't had any private time in almost a week, and Dan had missed her. 

Holly moaned against his mouth, arching against him, her breasts soft against his chest. Even though it was summer, it was still chilly at night, and she was shaking, ever so slightly. He slid his hand up under her shirt, cupping her breast through her bra, squeezing it. Her nipple was hard and tight against her palm. 

"Are we seriously planning on fucking in the woods?" Holly was giggling, pressing her forehead against his. "Is this seriously a thing we're going to do?" 

"It's not like we can fuck in the camper," Dan said, pushing Holly's shirt up and over her breasts. He pushed her bra down, so that her breasts could spill over the cups. He leaned down, then groaned, his back making unhappy noises. 

"I think you've been lifting up kids a bit too much," Holly teased, as Dan tried again, pressing his stubbled face between her breasts. He kissed along her left breast, and he took her nipple into his mouth, and he sucked on it, flickering his tongue along it. 

"Oh, Dan," Holly sighed, her hands tangling in his hair. "Oh god, Dan...."

"Shhh," Dan said, indicating the campfire that was flickering nearby. "Don't wanna wake the neighbors, do ya?" Then he grinned up at her, he expression naughty. "Or do you want me to gag you with your own panties?"

"Oh my god, Dan." Holly groaned, covering her face with both hands. "You've been watching too much porn."

"I don't watch that much porn," Dan argued, as he twisted each of her nipples like radio dials. He was still bent double, with Holly's breasts in his face. 

"What if I gagged _you_ with my panties, hm?" She smirked at his slightly stricken expression. "Is that what you'd like?"

Dan paused, then his expression turned wicked. "You know," he said casually, dropping to his knees with a grunt, "that seems like a rather roundabout way to get up close and personal with your truly glorious vag."

"I hate it when you call it that," Holly grumbled, as Dan ducked down and under her skirt. Her pussy was indeed quite wet, and her cock was hard and leaking through the thin fabric of her panties. 

"Well, I guess I'll just have to keep my mouth occupied, huh?" Dan was snickering as he pushed her panties down around her knees, then leaned forward. "Sweetie, could you spread your legs a bit wider for me?"

Holly did as instructed, widening her stance and leaning back against the tree, She couldn't hold on to his hair anymore, so she satisfied herself by tangling her fingers in her own hair, the other hand covering her face. 

Dan smiled, kissing up her thigh, then pressing his face right up between her thighs, licking along her slit. He wrapped his hand around her cock, squeezing it, then began to jerk it off slowly, as his tongue slid into her. 

"Fuck, Dan," Holly mumbled, and she leaned back into the tree, panting. "Oh, fuck, Dan...."

Dan chuckled, sending a puff of warm air against her vulva, and she squeaked, her thighs pressing into his ears. He kept licking her, his tongue zeroing in on her clit as he kept stroking her cock, gently, just enough to make her hips sway forward, not enough to actually make her cum. 

"You're being a t-t-tease," Holly mumbled. 

"Maybe I'm just... getting you all primed and ready," Dan said, pulling back and looking up at her with his big brown eyes. "For my enormous schlong."

Holly began to giggle, then began to laugh, shoving her hand over her mouth to keep from making too much noise. "Dan," she gasped. "Dan. I've had your dick before. Oh my god, seriously?" She prodded him with her foot, and he ran his hand along her calf, squeezing it, before sliding one long finger up between her labia and into her cunt.

"A thousand pardons, my dear," he said airily. "I hope that you haven't grown tired of Excalibur already."

"I still can't believe that you named your dick," Holly groused, but there wasn't much venom in it. How could she be too cranky, when his finger was curling inside of her, and his other hand was still jerking her off. 

"Someone had to," Dan said, adding another finger. He smiled at the way she moaned. 

"Ross and Arin didn't name their dicks," she said, her hips swaying forward, meeting his delicate thrusts. 

"That you know of," Dan said, and he pulled his fingers out of her, licking them with every obvious sound of delight. "Do you wanna ride Excalibur, baby?"

"Oh yes," Holly said. Then she paused. "But how are we gonna do this?"

"You could ride me," Dan suggested. "There's enough room and lack of... icky stuff for me to lie flat."

"You think so?" Holly squinted in the dimness.

"Yeah," said Dan, and he shuffled away from her on his knees, fiddling with his pants as he did so. "Let me just get it out...."

Dan hissed when his cock sprang out of his pants. His skin was so hot that it felt like there would be steam when it hit the cold air. He sighed, laying out cautiously. The ground had a leaf cover, but nothing was too slimy. He looked over the curve of his belly, and he gestured for Holly to come over.

"You look like some kind of forest sprite," Holly said, climbing on top of him. She held his cock in her hand, grinding her slit against the shaft. He could feel her clit, hard and ready, against him, and her cock was leaving a sizable lump in her skirt. 

"I'm surprised you can see much of me," Dan said, his hands going to her hips. He was grinding up against her, enjoying the sensation of her skin against his, and the novelty of not being able to see anything, blocked as it was by her skirt. He could feel the cold, slimy fabric of her panties against his belly, where they dangled off of her thigh. 

"I can see your general shape," said Holly, "and your eyes." She positioned the head of his cock against her entrance, and she slid down on it, slowly, carefully.

"Fuck, Holly," Dan murmured, panting heavily. "You feel so fucking good, oh fuck."

Holly laughed breathlessly, leaning forward, until her breasts were pressed against his chest, her cock sandwiched between their two bodies. She pushed his shirt up, so that it wouldn't get any cum on it, and she rocked her hips, forcing him out, then in. 

Dan bent his knees, forcing her further forward, and he grabbed her ass, holding it and forcing her to open wider. He began to thrust into her quickly, faster than was probably polite (inasmuch anything was polite at a time like this), but it had been awhile since he'd had an orgasm, let alone fucked someone. 

Holly moaned, her face pressed into his chest, her clit ground against his groin and her cock dragging between their bellies. She was clenching around him, shaking, and Dan was somewhat surprised to realize that she was about to cum. 

Huh. That hadn't taken too long. 

He let go of her ass, bringing his legs down. 

"Hol." 

"Mmm?" She looked up at him, blinking dozily. 

"Holly, I wanna see you cum." He blushed, but only a bit. "Please? Just... sit up. I want to see your face." 

Holly chuckled. "You're such a sap sometimes," she said to him, getting herself upright (albeit a bit awkwardly. She held her skirt up with one hand, stroking her cock with her other one. 

Dan grinned wickedly, reaching down to diddle her clit as well, watching her face convulse, while the tight heat surrounding him spasmed and fluttered, squeezing the life out of him. The moon was full and shining down on them, and the trees cast shadows across Holly's face as she whimpered, her whole body going tense. 

"That's it, just like that," Dan crooned, as Holly's cock spat cum across his belly, her cunt twitching around him. He began to really move his hips now, jerking them in and out of her desperately, before his own orgasm flowed over him, leaving him shaking in the knees and red in the face. 

"Fuck," Dan mumbled, and she smiled down at him, the moon bright in her hair and the trees casting shadows across her bare breasts. "That was... fuck." 

"It was a fuck," Holly agreed, giggling. 

"Oh my god," Dan mumbled, covering his hand with his face. "Do you have tissues?" 

"Yeah, hold on," Holly said, digging through a pocket of her skirt. 

* * * 

Dan was singing quietly when they walked back towards the RV, the same song he'd been singing to Rhea earlier. 

"And in the grove they spent the day, they thought it passed too soon," Dan sang, "something something something, brightly shone the moon." 

"I'm gonna have that stuck in my head all day," Holly said quietly. There was a single light on in the RV.

Suzy was sitting up reading, and she smiled. "Have fun?" Her voice was quiet - Arin was dead asleep on the bed, and Ross was snoring quietly on the couch. 

"Yeah," Holly said quietly. 

"Would you guys mind if I went to take a shower?" Suzy put her book down. "I feel kinda gross."

"I'll go too," Dan said. "I'm a bit... gross." They'd done what they could with tissues, but one can only do so much without water. 

Holly was making her way towards the front of the RV to open a door and get some air when she heard a quiet noise. She paused, and looked up. 

Zip's pale eyes were staring back at her, filled with tears. In the dim light, Holly could just make out Zip's trembling lower lip. 

"Sweetheart?" Holly's voice was quiet, and she climbed halfway up the ladder. "What's wrong, baby bird?" 

"There's... I had a bad dream," Zip mumbled. She wiped her nose on the back of her hand. "Can I... Howie, can I come down?" 

"Okay, sweetheart. Do you want to go look at the stars with me?" 

Zip nodded, disentangling herself from Rhea's sprawled out form to scramble down the ladder. She was wearing a pair of pajamas that Ross had gotten her, printed with little dinosaurs. She was twirling a piece of her hair around and around her finger. 

Suzy looked up from her toiletry bag. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Holly said. "Bad dream. We're just gonna go look at the stars for a little bit, okay?" 

Suzy gave a thumbs up, making her way towards the bath house.

* * * 

Zip nestled into Holly's lap, holding on to Holly's shirt in one small fist. Holly sat in her fold up chair, staring up at the sky and the bright, bright moon with her. 

"Do you want to tell me about your nightmare?" Holly kept her voice quiet as she stroked Zip's back. She was still so small - Holly could spread her fingers and touch both of Zip's shoulder blades. She wasn't as skinny as Rhea, but she was still so tiny. 

"There were... giant mouths," said Zip. "They jumped around me and the light kept flickering and I was on this big empty place, like on Sesame Street." 

"Ahhh," said Holly, not understanding the Sesame Street reference. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. But you're here now, and me and Mommy and Daddy and Abba and Ross will all keep you safe." 

Zip nodded, staring up at the sky with Holly. 

"Howie?"

"Yeah?"

"Why's the moon so big here?" 

"The moon is big at home too, sometimes," said Holly, shivering a bit in the chill. She drew Zip closer - if Holly was chilled, Zip would be freezing. "We just don't see it that often." 

"Oh," said Zip, resting her head on Holly's shoulder. 

They sat like that for another twenty minutes, until Holly realized that Zip had fallen asleep. That... presented a bit of a problem, until a familiar lanky shape walked towards her. 

"Dan," she said quietly. "My knight in damp armor." 

Dan snickered, his hair indeed damp, his towel and dirty clothes slung over his shoulder. "Late night stargazing?" He picked up Zip with a grunt, cradling her like he did when she was a lot smaller. 

"Something like that," Holly said, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. 

He smelled nice, like soap and wood smoke. She was going to have her own shower, then go to bed. It had been a pretty full day. 

She was almost as tired as Zip, who didn't even stir when Dan carefully set her down in the loft next to Rhea.

* * * 

"Abba! I wanna go there!" Rhea pointed excitedly at a big sign. 

"'Hercules the Wonder Cow,'" Arin read. "'See the Eighth Wonder of the World.'" 

"Can we, Mommy?" Zip gave Suzy her patented big eyes, as the RV passed another sign. 

"Well...," Suzy made a thinking face. "If we eat lunch in the RV, we can." 

"Okay!" Rhea bounced up and down in her seat, nearly unseating Ross, who laughed, pulling her closer and tickling her. 

"What makes this cow so great?" Dan followed the signs, heading towards a large tent in a small clearing. 

"Maybe he's got spots!" Zip started a new drawing, this time of a cow. "Lots of spots."

"All cows have spots, dummy," Rhea said.

"Be nice to your sister," Holly said, without even looking up from her book. 

"Not all cows have spots," Dan added, as they parked. 

"Well... the one in your song does," Rhea said. "Sing it, Abba!"

"What do we say?" Dan had a slightly long suffering expression as he put the RV in park. 

"We say "we've heard this song twenty times already, so we're going to just go admire the Eighth Wonder of the World,"" Arin said, standing up slowly, one hand on his lower back. His belly was really starting to swell, and the baby had started to move with gusto. 

"Does the baby wanna see the wonder cow?" Rhea wrapped her arms around Arin's middle, pressing her forehead against it. 

"Maybe," Arin said, rubbing Rhea's head. "Let's go see the wonder cow."

* * *

"That wasn't a wonder cow," Zip grumbled, as they drove down the highway. It was getting dim out, and Rhea was cuddled up on the bed with Dan, her head on his chest. 

"What would have made it a wonder cow?" Holly grinned, ruffling Zip's hair. It flopped back into place, into Zips' eye. "You need a haircut, baby." 

"Can I do that?" Rhea perked up.

"No!" said every adult in the vehicle. 

Except for Ross. 

"What kinda haircut would you give her?"

"Don't encourage her," said Suzy, from her spot on the couch. 

"But what would have made it a wonder cow?" Holly pulled Zip closer, cuddling her daughter in her lap and kissing her loudly on the cheek. 

"Wings," said Rhea. 

"No cows with wings," said Arin. "There'd be cow sh - poo everywhere."

This was, of course, the funniest thing that Rhea had ever heard in her life, and she headbutted Dan in the stomach, which made her laugh harder, as he wheezed next to her. 

"This is your fault," Arin said, giving Ross a Look, as Dan sat up and pounded himself in the chest. 

"You want me to make it up to you?" Ross was driving, but he made Significant Eye Contact with Arin via the rear view mirror. 

Arin raised an eyebrow, and he grinned when Ross nodded. 

"Get a room, you too," Suzy said.

"Aren't we all in one room? Why do they need their own?" 

Dan cleared his throat. "So, uh, are we almost at our destination?"

"The campsite? Yeah, about another ten minutes or so." 

"Do you want me to take the girls for their showers?" Holly was braiding Zip's hair - it kept slipping out of her fingers, as soft and wispy as it was. 

"Sure, if that's not too much trouble," said Suzy. 

"Nah," said Holly. "I just need to dig up my bathing suit."

"How come you shower in a bathing suit?" Zip cuddled up against Holly, putting her head under Holly's chin. Her hair trailed over one shoulder. 

"Because I don't like being naked around other people," said Holly. 

"But you're naked around -" 

"Hey, what if Hercules had been bigger?" Dan had finally caught his breath, and he swooped in to save the day. Thank god. 

"What size does a cow have to be to be a wonder cow? Because cows are pretty big." 

"He wasn't bigger than you are, Daddy," said Rhea, squirmed away from Dan to go sit next to Arin on the couch. 

"Few things are these days," said Arin, as Rhea snuggled up to him. 

Rhea made a surprised noise. "It kicked me!" 

"It does that," Arin said, his expression grim. "Usually it's just my insides." 

"Why?" 

"Because there's more of my insides than outsides."

"... what?" 

* * * 

"Did you seriously have to proposition me like that?" Arin groaned, leaning against the wall of the shower. "This is weird. I can't see you." 

The hot water splattered down on them, pasting Arin's hair down around his face, cascading down his back and his belly. This was an amazing shower for a camp site.

"Of course you can't see me," Ross said, from somewhere under the curve of Arin's belly. "Can you see your feet?"

"You're not my feet," Arin said, slumping back against the wall. Then he moaned, because Ross was swallowing his cock, sucking it down, his cheeks no doubt hollow and his lips stretched thin. 

"Well, yeah," said Ross. "If your feet were me then...."

"Ross," Arin mumbled, covering his face with both of his hands, "I have not had an orgasm in like days and days," said Arin. "Please." 

"Please what?" Ross wrapped a hand around Arin's cock, jerking it slowly. "You gotta be more specific, man." 

"Please keep sucking my dick, Ross," Arin said slowly, in the tone of someone who was trying not to throttle someone else. "Please keep sucking my dick until I cum, or else I will possibly die."

"You're not gonna die of not having an orgasm," said Ross, but he took more of it into his mouth, sucking harder, and Arin moaned, his head jerking back. 

It was late enough that nobody was around, and it was quiet, but for Arin's desperate panting, and the obscene sounds that Ross was making with his mouth. 

"So I was thinking...." Ross pulled back, occasionally licking the head of Arin's cock. 

"What were you thinking?" Arin reached down, trying to pet at Ross's hair. 

"I was thinking, maybe we should not name the baby after a bird," said Ross, and he jerked Arin off, carefully. 

"Are we seriously talking about this right now?" Arin slumped back, his cock still bobbing against the curve of his belly. 

"I don't want Holly to hear me," said Ross. He sat back on his heels, and Arin could finally see his face. He looked... genuinely nervous. 

"Can we talk about this after I've had an orgasm at least?" Arin put a hand on Ross's head, and Ross leaned into it. 

"Why are you so focused on orgasms? Life is more than orgasms, you know," said Ross.

"Said like a guy who can get one whenever he wants," said Arin, grumbling. He gasped, as Ross wrapped his hand around Arin's cock again, beginning to pump it. 

"Excuse me? Have you forgotten that I'm stuck in an RV with two kids as well?" Ross stood up, and he pressed his own belly against Arin's, his cock pressed against Arin's.

"You can, like, jerk off in the shower," Arin argued, his hands going to Ross's shoulders, leaning in to kiss him. 

"Okay, fair, I am not bloated to the point that I look like a whale." 

" _Ross!_ " Arin groaned, then he groaned against Ross's mouth, because Ross was kissing him, Ross was forcing their cocks together, Ross was jerking them off together, Ross was... Ross was.... 

"Fuck," Arin sobbed as he came, his knees going weak. His cock was twitching, his whole body was liquid and lazy and full of tingles. 

Ross came shortly after that, painting the underside of Arin's belly with his own cum. 

Arin kissed him again, leaning against him. 

"Think of it this way," Ross said, offering Arin a washcloth. "In a few months, we'll be too tired to even care about orgasms!" 

"Oh. Great." Arin tilted his head back, the water dripping down his face. 

"I know it makes _me_ feel better," Ross said cheerfully.

"Tell you what," said Arin. "Next time, why don't you experience the joys of bringing life into the world?"

"You want _another_ one?" 

"Holly is gonna get the baby itch. I can just tell." Arin began to wash his chest. "If Dan can get it, she can get it."

"We're gonna have a fucking soccer team," Ross grumbled, but he kissed Arin and helped him wash his back.

* * *  
"Is this your little boy?" The lady at the rest stop smiled down at Rhea, and she smiled back at her, holding on tightly to Howie's hands as they made their way towards the museum. 

It was full of "taxi-dummy", which Mommy was really excited about.

"Actually, this is my daughter," said Howie, and she ruffled Rhea's hair. "Say hi, Rhea."

"... hi," said Rhea, and she looked down. Something in her tummy felt... bad, and she didn't know what it was.

"It's all that hair," the lady said, and she laughed. "That should have been a clue!" 

* * *

"I want a haircut," said Rhea, as they inched through Florida traffic. 

"I thought you liked your hair," said Suzy, patting Rhea's head. It sprang right back up.

"It makes me look girly," Rhea said. 

"You don't wanna be pretty like Mommy?" Arin was sitting next to Zip, who was absorbed in a video on his iPad. 

"No!" Rhea shook her head violently. "No!"

"Girls are supposed to be pretty," Dan teased, and Rhea closed her eyes and _shrieked_. 

"No! No no no no no!"

"Rhea!" Suzy frowned. "You don't need to shout like that. He was kidding." 

"I don't care," Rhea said. "I don't want to be." She sniffed, and rubbed her eyes. "No." 

"Okay, okay, I get it," Dan said. "I'm sorry, little bird."

Zip looked up at Rhea, and she met her eyes. Then she smiled. 

Rhea smiled back, uncertainly.

* * * 

Grandparents were weird. Rhea didn't entirely know what to make of them. She'd met a few of them before - Sabba and Safta had come down to visit a few times, and they'd flown to Jersey. Daddy's parents were nice - they gave them candy, and told really bad jokes. 

There was a lot of talk about the ceremony, but that was all anyone was talking about these days. 

It was weird seeing Daddy's old room, especially since they were sleeping in his old bed. The sheets were printed with little cats. 

“Hey, Rhea?” Zip sat up, when the big digital clock blinked “3:00.” 

Abba was sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag, snoring quietly. 

“Mm?” Rea sat up, rubbing her eyes. 

“Remember when Ross said I could cut your hair?” She kept her voice low. “I saw Gramma’s scissors. Do you want me to cut it?” 

“... really? Mommy is gonna be mad.” She made a face. “She likes my hair.” 

“I saw how mad you got,” Zip said. “And, uh….” She blushed. “If you don’t wanna be pretty, that’s okay.” 

“... okay,” said Rhea. “We could flush the extra hair down the toilet!” 

“We just gotta get around Abba,” Zip whispered. 

“It can’t be that hard,” Rhea said, and they tiptoed around Dan’s sleeping form. 

They both held their breath as they walked around him, then made their way to the bathroom. It smelled like cold cream and fancy soap.

“Don’t you have to go to, like, a special school for haircutting?” Rhea’s voice was quiet, as Zip dug out the scissors. 

“How hard can it be?” 

* * * 

“What the fuck?!” 

“Why are you shouting - what.” Holly stopped dead in the middle of Arin’s old bedroom. 

“I said I wanted a haircut,” Rhea said defiantly, sitting up in bed and crossing her arms across her chest. “You didn’t listen.”  
“She’s got you there,” said Grandma, poking her head around the door. “I think we’ve got clippers somewhere. We can at least try to… mitigate the damage.” 

"I don't even know how to deal with this," said Suzy, watching as her father in law carefully buzzed down Rhea's hair, until it was an even crew cut all around. "It feels like it came out of left field." 

"Yeah? Rhea's been kinda... acting out a bit lately," said Holly. She had Zip in front of her, and she was carefully evening out her ends. Her hair was a lot less wrecked than Rhea's - Zip still looked like a girl. 

Without the distraction of Rhea's long, curly hair, she looked a lot more like Suzy. The sharp eyes, and the hollows of her cheekbones. 

"I promise to listen to you when you want to get a haircut," Suzy said to Rhea, when she came over, newly shorn and showered. "Do you promise not to do this again?"

"I promise, Mommy," said Rhea, and she hugged Suzy, pressing her face into Suzy's neck. 

* * * 

"I think the RV is riding low," Ross complained, as they drove out of Arin's parent's driveway. "What do we even need all that baby stuff for?" 

"Come on," Arin said, his hand on his belly. He made a face as the baby shifted, poking and prodding. "They just want to continue the family legacy and shit." 

"I think that two sets of grandparents is a bit much for me," said Holly, covering her face with both hands. 

The girls were sacked out on the bed, snoring. With her hair cut as short as it was, the scar across Rhea's left temple was in stark relief, and Holly tried to remember how she had gotten that one. 

It was amazing, that she could forget that, but it felt like SO MUCH was happening, every day, that it was hard to keep track of it. 

* * *

"I like it like this," Rhea said to Dan, as they walked down towards the petting zoo. The sign had advertised a rare bird sanctuary, and Holly had put her foot down about having a look. "My hair, I mean." 

"Why?" Dan put his hand on top of her head, the stubble a bit like velcro against his palm. 

"Because... because I look more like me," she said, and she nodded. 

"You don't look like me, though," said Dan. "Did you not like looking like me?" 

"Well, no," said Rhea. "I mean, I like looking like you, but when I look like you I don't look like you." She stopped to pat a rather grumpy looking goat on the head. 

"... I'm a bit lost, babe," said Dan, kneeling in front of the goat and giving it a scratch on the ears. "Hey, look at his eyes!" 

"How do you know it's a he? It could be a she!" Rhea stared into the goat's eyes, and then she squeaked and took a step back, her back pressing into Dan's chest. "What's wrong with its _eyes_?!" 

"I, uh... I'm good at guessing," said Dan, who had caught sight of the goat's hind end. "There isn't anything wrong with its eyes. Goats just have weird eyes." 

"Do people have weird eyes? Like... like how some people have different hair?" She patted the goat again, holding on to Dan's shirt with her other hand. 

"We all have different eye colors," Dan said. "But most of them are the same shape, more or less."

"What will the baby's eyes be like?" Rhea began to walk towards the sheep pen, and Dan unfolded, following after her. 

"Well, when it’s born, the baby will have blue eyes," said Dan, squeezing her fingers. "You had blue eyes too, did you know that?"

"Why don't I still have blue eyes?" There was a ram on the other side of the fence, chewing its cud and staring boredly into the distance. 

"Your eyes got darker as you got older," said Dan. "Like your mom's." 

"Oh," said Rhea. She glanced up at him. "Are you mad at me? That I don't look like you anymore?"

"Oh, you still look like me," said Dan, and he grinned. "You've got my hands, see?" He held their hands out, side by side, and Rhea's hands were indeed long and narrow, with the same ridiculously long fingers. Her thumbs were regularly sized though. 

"Okay, Abba," said Rhea, and they made their way into the barn, to say hello to the turkeys.

* * *

"You've made a friend, I see," said Holly, as Arin stood stock still. 

There was a bird on his belly. 

"And it's not even your kid this time," Arin said, trying to cut the nerves out of his voice. 

The bird was black, and its claws were leaving little holes in Arin's shirt. 

"Aren't you just a handsome guy," Holly said, using her birb voice. She put a hand on Arin's belly for the bird to climb onto, and the baby kicked against it. 

"Really?" Arin looked down, making a face. "You're doing this now?"

"You know it can't hear you, right?" Holly took the bird up onto her hand, scratching his neck. She lifted her hand up carefully, and he stayed put. 

"It can hear some of all of this," said Arin. "I remember reading about it when I was pregnant with Zip."

"Speaking of Zip," said Holly, "where did she go?" 

As if on cue, Zip came running over, startling the bird out of Holly's hand. "Howie! Daddy! There's a bunch of swords!" 

"What, in the bird enclosure? That sounds dangerous. I don't think they'd be able to pick them up with their itty bitty legs." Arin stood up completely, groaning a bit, one hand on his lower back. 

"No, no, outside. Please, can we go see it?" Zip grabbed Arin's hand, trying to drag him towards the exit. 

"I think Howie wants to look at the birds some more," said Arin, walking behind her slowly. "Easy, babe." 

"The baby wants to see the swords!" 

"Does it, now?" 

"I like swords," said Holly, taking Zip's other hand. "C'mon. Go easy on your dad. He's got like... eighty extra pounds up front."

"Very funny," Arin said dryly, as they made their way towards the exit of the huge enclosure. 

* * * 

"Hey Arin?" Holly kept her eye on Zip and Rhea as the two of them ran around their campsite, falling in the grass and wrestling. Despite her height advantage, Rhea tended to get her butt handed to her by her sister. 

"Yeah?" Arin had his sketchbook on his stomach, and he was sketching out the shadows of the trees. 

"How'd Rhea get that scar on her head?" Holly tapped the side of her own head, where Rhea's scar was. "I feel like I'd remember that."

"You weren't there for that," said Dan, coming to sit next to them on the bench, leaning back against the RV. "It was when Brian was babysitting. Remember?"

"No," Holly said, and she felt Arin stiffen against her, his pencil pausing. She reached over, squeezing his knee. 

"Well, uh...." Dan swallowed, avoiding eye contact with Arin. "They were, uh, the girls were about three, they were playing around in the yard, and you know Rhea, she was climbing the tree, but it was really dry that year, remember?" He swallowed, and he was speaking a lot more quickly than he needed to be. Clearly very uncomfortable. "She, uh... she fell on a rock, and the doctor said it was really lucky that it missed her temple."

"Oh yeah," Holly said. "I remember Brian's shirt being... stained." She cleared her throat, realizing what she just said. Oops.

"I'm gonna go check on dinner," Arin said stiffly, and he stood up, walking towards the picnic table, where Ross and Suzy were setting out the sandwich making materials. 

"Is he ever going to forgive me for that?" Dan's voice was plaintive. 

"He will," Holly said, reaching over to squeeze his fingers. "You apologized. You sorted it out."

"So why does he get all cold whenever Brian comes up?" Dan covered his face with his other hand. "I still think that he's making a big deal out of -" 

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Holly said. "Unless you want to be sleeping alone tonight."

"I dunno," Dan said, trying to keep his tone light. "I mean, I haven't slept alone since we got in the damn RV." 

"Keep it up, you'll have your wish granted," said Holly, and she pulled her hand away from him. She hadn't had the same dog in the fight that Arin had - it wasn't like she had to worry about losing her Alpha to another Omega, since she wasn't an Omega - but the tensions that had ratcheted up over that whole mess had sent the whole house into a tailspin.

"Not you too, Holly," Dan said, and he sounded so sad that she took pity on him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders. 

"It'll be okay," she said. "Just... try not to bring Brian up, maybe? While it's still a sore spot." 

“When is it not gonna be a sore spot?” 

“Give it time.” 

* * * 

"Mommy, can I sleep in the tent with you and Howie tonight?" Zip was chewing on her lip, sitting at the RV's table and coloring with Ross. 

"No, we're, uh... we're going to be planning a surprise for you guys," said Suzy. She had her laptop open in front of her, and she was looking at stuff for the ceremony. 

"What kinda surprises?" Rhea sat next to Suzy, her head tucked under her mom's arm, leaning on Suzy's chest. 

"The kind that are surprises," said Suzy. "What do you think of that dress, Rhea? You and Zip can wear matching ones. You'd be adorable." It'd look... weird with the new haircut, but Rhea's hair grew really fast. It'd be long enough to at least put a barrette of some kind in it.

"No," Rhea said, and she was scowling.

"Rhea, you've vetoed every dress that I've suggested," said Suzy. "You can't go to the ceremony in just jeans and an old t-shirt." 

"What's veto?" 

"Vetoing is saying no, only you really, _really_ mean it."

"Isn't that what Dan's planning on doing?" Ross added a green stripe to Zip's pony. "See green and yellow look nice together."

"He may be planning it, but it isn't happening," said Suzy. 

"What is Abba gonna wear?" Rhea snuggled closer, practically in Suzy's lap, holding on to Suzy's shirt with one hand, sucking on her other thumb.

"Probably a nice suit," said Suzy, tapping Rhea's wrist. "No thumb sucking. That's for babies, remember?"

Rhea pouted. 

"Does Ross have to wear a dress?" 

"God no," Ross said. "I'm wearing a suit."

"What about Daddy?" 

"We're... still figuring that out," said Suzy. 

"I still think we should wait until the kid is born," Arin said from his spot in the front, next to Dan. 

"We're not gonna have time to think when the kid is born, let alone have a wedding," said Suzy. "We'll figure something out."

Arin sighed, leaning back into his seat, and he winced. "Stop that," he told his belly. 

"Well, if Abba doesn't have to wear a dress than I don't have to wear a dress," Rhea said, and she crossed her arms and set her chin. 

"Dan, help me," Suzy said, kissing the top of Rhea's head. Her hair was bristly. 

"You're on your own," Dan called from the driver's seat. "I still think we should just go to a courthouse."

"Even if we go to the courthouse, you're still wearing a suit," Suzy said. 

"Well, if Abba doesn't have to wear a dress, then Rhea shouldn't have to," said Zip, pausing in her intense coloring. 

"Abba is an adult. Adults can wear what they want," said Suzy. 

"So why is he wearing a suit? He said he hates suits." Rhea squinted at Suzy's screen. "I like that."

"What, that?" Suzy looked at the screen herself - it was a little boy's suit, complete with shiny black shoes. 

"Yeah. I'll wear that." Rhea nodded emphatically. 

"Holly?" 

"I say let her wear the suit." Holly sat opposite them, on the couch. "As long as she looks nice."

"Fine," Suzy said, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically. "I know when I'm out numbered." She pinched Rhea's cheek. "You'll get your suit. Can you at least wear a flower with it?"

"Is Zip gonna?" 

"You could have matching flowers," said Suzy. 

"Do I have to wear a suit?" Now it was Zip's turn to pout. "I wanna wear a nice dress."

"You can wear a dress," Suzy said, and she patted Rhea's leg. "Go sit with Daddy for a sec. I think he needs some company." 

Rhea squirmed off of her, going to sit next to Arin in the long front seat. 

"Hi, Daddy! Hi, baby." 

Suzy closed her laptop and rested her forehead against it. "How did I get such an argumentative child?"

"Don't know where she got it from," Holly said, squeezing in next to her and wrapping a companionable arm around her shoulder. No idea whatsoever."

"Quit smirking," Suzy said, prodding Holly in the ribs with her elbow, still face down on the table. "It's unbecoming."

"Gramma said if we keep making a face it'll stay that way," Zip said. 

"Yeah, see?" Suzy sat up, and she kissed Holly. "Where are we going to be stopping?" She called to the front. 

"We're getting there," said Dan. "Maybe forty five minutes or so. Although it looks like it’s going to rain. You sure you guys want the tent tonight?"

"Yes," chorused Suzy and Holly. They made eye contact, and burst out laughing. 

* * * 

It was quiet in the tent. Quiet and dim. The rain was pattering down on them, and their sleeping bags were spread out across the floor of it. 

"I forgot what it felt like to stretch," Holly said, lying flat on her back and stretching with all of her limbs like a starfish.

"C'mon, the RV isn't that bad," said Suzy, zipping the tent closed behind them. The trees were rustling above them, and it blended with the sound of the rain on on the tent. 

"I don't have to listen to Arin's snoring tonight," Holly said, pulling Suzy down on top of her, belly to belly. 

"No," Suzy said, kissing Holly. "You get to listen to mine."

"Arin's has gotten worse, over the course of the trip, I swear," Holly said, bringing her hands up to grab Suzy's ass, holding her in place. "But let's not talk about Arin's snoring, hm?" 

"... can we talk about Arin for a sec?" Suzy sat up, straddling Holly. She ground her ass against the lump in Holly's pants, and Holly moaned. 

"Depends," Holly said cautiously. 

"Do you think... do you think he's sorry about the stuff with Brian?" Suzy cleared her throat. "I mean... I miss how stuff was before."

"What, when Dan was fucking around on a technicality, or where I got dragged in?" Holly made a face.

"Well, of course you got dragged in, you're part of the Pack," Suzy said, almost stiffly, climbing off of her. "Never mind." She rolled onto her side. "Maybe we should just go to sleep."

"No, no, I'm sorry," Holly said, and she rolled onto her side, cautiously bringing an arm around to pull Suzy closer to her, so that they were back to belly. "It's... I'm still getting used to being... part of the unit, you know? Orbiting the sun that is our kids." 

"Twin suns," Suzy said, and then she giggled. "Not sons."

Holly started to giggle, pressing her face into Suzy's shoulder. She was shaking, and it was hard to tell if she was laughing or crying. 

"I'm... I don't want to lose... this," she mumbled. "I... you know I love you, right? All of you. Even Dan, when he's being a bonehead." 

"He's often being a bonehead," Suzy agreed. 

"He's... he's worried about mending stuff with him and Arin. Because Arin freezes up whenever Brian comes up."

"Arin took it... kinda personally." Suzy sighed, interlacing her fingers with Holly's. "I dunno. It's all complicated. You know what those two are like."

"Yeah," Holly murmured, crowding closer. "I'm...." She sighed gustily, ruffling the hair on the back of Suzy's neck. "I'm sorry this is just turning into feelings. This was supposed to be sweet, hot sex."

"It can still be sweet, hot sex," Suzy said grinding her ass against Holly's front, where her cock had woken up. "Although crap, it's gotten kinda cold. What the heck?"

"You sure you don't miss sleeping next to the girls? Zip is a regular space heater." Holly's hand moved up, to cup one of Suzy's breasts through her t-shirt.

"Can you not talk about our daughter when your hands are on my tits, maybe?" Suzy craned her neck back, trying to get a kiss from Holly. 

"Apologies," said Holly, pinching Suzy's nipple between her fingertips, twisting it back and forth almost lazily. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Don't you fucking dare," Suzy murmured, arching back against her, trying to get more friction. Her skirt was riding up around her waist. "I've missed you, babe."

"I've been in the same rolling shoebox as you," Holly said, her voice teasing as she rolled her hips slowly, grinding her erection right against the cleft of Suzy's ass. 

“Wouldn’t you have gotten tired of me, then?” She ground back, breathing heavily. “In each others pockets like this?”

"Yeah, but I've wanted to be in you so badly," Holly said, her voice quiet. "You know when I woke up this morning, and I kept the pillow in my lap for like ten minutes? It's because I was thinking about you, and how sexy you are when you first wake up." 

"Y-yeah?" Suzy tried to open her legs, throwing one over Holly's, so that the bulge of Holly's cock could slide against her cunt through the thin fabric of her panties. 

"Yeah, when your hair's a mess and your eyes are all sleepy, and one of your tits just slid out of your shirt, so I can just lean down and take it into my mouth...." She rolled her hips again, and Suzy was almost sobbing, squirming against her. 

"Mmm...you're just saying that," Suzy mumbled, and she was full on grinding now, almost humping the air in front of her. "Oh, god, Holly...."

"Shhh," Holly whispered into her ear. "We can't let them hear us in the RV, can we?"

"I know that D-D-Dan and Arin and R-R-Ross know... oh fuck!" Holly twisted Suzy's nipple, and Suzy closed her eyes tightly, gasping. "You feel so good though, oh gods."

"You think they wish they were with us?" Holly shoved her shorts down, with her panties, and she rubbed against Suzy's ass with her bare cock. "I wish one of them was here with us right now, oh god."

"Yeah?" Suzy whined, as Holly's bare cock nuzzling against her cunt. "Mmm, fuck, Holly, put it in, please...."

"How badly?" 

"How badly what?" Suzy kept grinding, as Holly mauled her tits. 

"How badly do you want me in you?" Holly's breath was hot and familiar in her ear, and the familiar scent of sex, of Alpha, of Omega, of themselves, was filling up the small tent. 

"Badly enough that I'm not feeling creative enough to get sexy talking," said Suzy, grinding harder. 

"Fair enough," Holly said, and she was laughing as she slowly pressed her cock inside of Suzy. 

Suzy, who was hot, wet, familiar and strange at the same time. She clenched around Holly's cock, and she moaned, quiet and a little squeaky. 

"Fuck," Suzy gasped, rocking back against Holly. 

Holly just held her, thrusting slowly, almost lazily. They had all the time in the world - who was going to come into their tent? The rain was quiet against the outside of the tent, and the trees waved, casting strange shadows across the walls. They could hear music from the RV, faintly, and the general murmur that gave way to people. Once in a while, Zip or Rhea's laughter would ring out. 

Holly came in a gush. Her knot didn't come out - thankfully - and she shivered through the sweet twitches, letting Suzy pull off. 

"I want to sit on your face," Suzy said, gasping. "Please. Can I sit on your face?"

"Yeah, but, uh... are you gonna be able to keep your balance?" Holly scooted lower, so that they wouldn't be quite so silhouetted in the tent. 

"Don't worry about it," Suzy said, and she sounded positively harried. "Please!"

"Okay, okay, I'm ready," Holly said, pulling her shirt off last minute, as Suzy straddled her chin. "I'm ready."

"Good," said Suzy, settling her weight down. 

She was salty and bitter, and Holly tasted her own cum as she licked and licked, becoming light headed from the lack of air. Her hands were on Suzy's thighs, and she held on tightly, licking and licking, until Suzy was shaking on top of her, another gush of fluid dripping down Holly's face. 

Suzy more or less fell off of Holly, sprawled out on the sleeping bags. Lacking anything else to do, Holly wiped her face off on her discarded shirt. 

"Well," said Suzy, when she caught her breath, "that was totally worth sleeping in a tent for."

Holly giggled.

* * * 

"What is it?" Zip sat in Dan's lap, her head tucked under his chin. She had her other hand on top of Arin's belly, to keep her balance. 

"It's a bottle tree," said Suzy. 

"Why is it here?" Rhea clung to Suzy's skirt, suddenly shy amongst the strangers milling about. 

"Well, someone made a really big one, and apparently people wanted to see it," said Suzy. "Sometimes that's how these roadside attractions happen." 

"Can we do that with our house?"

"No," said Dan, Suzy, and Arin at the same time. 

"Awww," said Rhea, and she pouted. The she brightened up. "There's a petting zoo!"

"Can I go too?" Zip looked over at her father, who nodded. 

"We'll stay over here," said Arin. "Enjoy the sun a bit longer." His hand slid over, covered Dan's, where it was resting on his own knee.

Dan shot a glance at Arin. Since mentioning Brian a couple of nights before, Arin had been a bit.. stiff. Not standoffish, per se, but no initiating contact, no reaching for Dan, none of the easy affection that had been building between them slowly, since the big blow up. 

Dan glanced over at Arin, and Arin squeezed his fingers. 

"I, uh... I've been kinda angry at you," Arin said, unprompted. "And... I have a right to be angry. But... I'm trying to let it go."

"... okay?" Was that an apology, or an excuse? How was he supposed to respond to that.

"It's... happening. Slowly," said Arin. It looked like it pained him to be saying this, and Dan wasn't entirely sure how to react to that. 

"I'll, uh... I'll go check on the girls," said Dan. He squeezed Arin's hand, and made his way towards the petting zoo.

* * *

"Why do all of these roadside places have petting zoos?" Suzy was brushing straw off of Rhea's knees, as they sat in the RV, the streetlights going by like so many stars.

"Because they know our weakness," said Ross. "Small children with an affinity for small cuddly things." He had Zip cuddled up to him, two thirds asleep.

"The girls weren't the ones with the puppies in their laps," said Holly, nudging him in the side. Zip made a protesting noise and grabbed for her hand.

Ross snorted. 

"Can we get a puppy?" Rhea bounced, then made a face as Suzy began to brush her hair. "Mommy, there isn't enough to brush!"

"It's growing really fast," said Suzy. "You've got about an inch! In no time I'll be able to braid it again." Her fingers passed over the shiny purple scar on Rhea's temple, and she glanced over at Dan. He kept avoiding looking at it. 

"I don't want braids," said Rhea, stubborn. "I want it like Abba."

* * * 

"Stay with me tonight, Dan?" Arin patted the bed next to him. "Ross can sleep with the girls -"

"I can?" 

"Please?" Arin gave Ross puppy eyes, and Ross sighed. 

"I expect some... reciprocation for this," he said, waggling his eyebrows. “Preferably in the form of back rubs. Because I’m going to be sore. Because I don’t fit up there.” 

Arin snorted, but nodded.

* * * 

Dan was holding Arin. It was awkward - his arms were wrapped around Arin's middle, his palms on Arin's belly, and he was... he was nervous. They were talking quietly. 

"Are you going to keep beating that dead horse?" Dan was talking into Arin's hair.

"What are you talking about?" Arin snuggled up to him, as the baby shifted inside of him, pressing against his ribs, and Dan's hands. 

"I know that I fucked up," Dan said. "But I feel like it's constantly hovering over my head. I've apologized up, down, and sideways, and I wish you would stop bringing it up."

"Are you gonna... do you want to leave me?" Arin's voice was quiet. "I know I'm not... fun anymore. I can't just fuck at the drop of a hat, or whatever, but I... I don't want to leave."

"I'm not gonna leave," Dan said. "I... I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." 

"I... forgive you," Arin said, and he was still quiet. "Can... fuck, this is embarrassing." His shoulders were shaking, and he gave a wet sniff. "Can you talk to the baby?" 

"What, now?" He glanced over - Holly and Suzy were snoring away on the fold out couch, and Ross was reading to the girls quietly in the loft. "Well, uh... okay." He wriggled down, so that his mouth was pressed against Arin's belly, and he began to murmur, things that only the rough draft of a person heard. 

* * *

"I still feel like there's going to be sharks," said Dan, sitting on the very edge of the lake, with just his toes in. 

"Sharks only like salt water, Abba," said Rhea. She was wearing a boy's bathing suit, her skinny chest practically reflective in the bright light. She held his hand, and started to walk towards the water. He had no choice but to follow.

Yeah, she took after Suzy in her coloring. 

"How do we know a new breed of shark hasn't, like, evolved?" Dan hated how nervous he sounded. He didn't want to give his kids his phobia. 

"Then we'll protect you!" Zip held his other hand, and she made a muscle and laughed. 

"I'm putting my trust in you," Dan said seriously, patting each of them on the head. "Are you my anti-shark squad?"

"I'll make them jackets," said Holly, from Zip's other side. "Little fins, with an "x" on it." 

"I want a vest," said Rhea. "Like Dipper, on that old TV show."

"Old TV show," said Dan. "Oh god. Come on, before I wither away into a mummy."

"But mommy is over there," said Rhea, wrinkling her brow and looking confused.

"C'mon, little bird," said Dan, taking another step into the water, until it was up to his shins. "Let's prove to the non existent sharks who's boss!" 

"You're weird, Abba," said Rhea, and she went deeper.

Then she stopped, and ran back, climbing Dan like a tree.

"Something brushed my leg!" 

"Rhea, please move your foot," Dan said, very carefully. "Thank you." He held her against his chest, her head pressed against his. "What happened to the anti-shark squad, huh?"

"Rhea's just being a big baby," said Zip, and she laughed, sticking her tongue out and diving down into the lake. 

"Zip!" Holly looked about frantically, finally catching sight of the bright yellow of her bathing suit. "No going under the water where I can't see you!" 

"Sorry, Howie," Zip said, coming up for air. "But Rhea's just a big baby."

"I am not!" Rhea took a flying leap off of Dan, knocking the wind out of him, and Dan gasped, curling up in the water. 

"Fuck," Dan wheezed, and Holly was laughing, not even hiding it.

"Girls, both of you. Come on. You need to be in arm's length of us." Holly grabbed Rhea by the ankle, pulling her closer, and Zip swam closer, holding on to Dan's leg. 

"Abba," Zip said, "throw me next!"

"In a sec," Dan mumbled, still trying to get his breath back. 

On the bright side, he wasn't worrying about the sharks anymore. 

* * * 

Suzy was napping in the shade of the umbrella when Ross stood over her. She didn't really notice, until he started to drip. 

"That had better be lake water," said Suzy, without looking up. 

"What else would it be?" Ross sat down next to her, and he wrapped himself around her like a boa constrictor. 

"Oh my god, Ross, you're fucking cold," Suzy groaned, as he clung to her, wriggling. "You're cold AND you're wet, what the hell!?" 

"Come into the lake, Suzy," Ross did his best creepy child voice. "Come play with us!" 

"Go bug Arin," Suzy mumbled, but she sat up, trying to adjust her bathing suit so that nothing that couldn't be shown on prime time was visible. Although there was nobody around - this was a pretty deserted spot. 

"Arin owes me a back rub, since I was sleeping with the fucking Taekwondo champion of the under seven set," said Ross, nuzzling into her hair. His dick was half hard in his trunks, and it was pressing right up against her ass. 

"If I were you, I'd think cold thoughts," Suzy said, grinding against him once for the amusement, then sat up, shoving the towel she had been using as a pillow into his lap. 

"You're ignoring my Tae Kwon Do joke," Ross said, his expression petulant.

"There's a reason for that," said Suzy, and she stretched, the sun dappling across her skin. She caught sight of Ross's face, and something in her chest twisted. 

Something tender, something delicate. Something important. 

The girls were shrieking in the water, and Dan was laughing. So was Holly. Arin was napping in his fold out chair, enjoying the sun. 

* * * 

"Daddy? Can we go to Echo Harbor?" 

"No!" 

"You didn't all have to answer at the same time...."

* * * 

It was... strange to be home. Especially since this place wasn't quite home anymore - it had been his home, true enough, but he was an adult now.

The girls were spoiled, Arin was fussed over, and much food was had by all. It wasn't until late, when the girls were passed out on the couch, and the rest of the family was cuddled up in various parts of the house, that Dan and Arin finally had time to themselves. 

In Dan's old bedroom. 

Well, more accurately, Ross was passed out on the floor of the bedroom, with Holly and Suzy in the spare room, but Ross was tired enough that he just snored, not even noticing the quiet talking going on next to him. 

That was Ross, though. He slept like the dead. 

"Is this the bed where you tried to blow yourself?" Arin stretched out, took up most of the space, lying flat on his back, his belly like an island in the sea of blue blankets. 

"Yeah," Dan said, and he laughed ruefully. "Most awkward doctor's visit in my life."

"You should blow me," Arin said, matter of factly. 

"... what?" Dan snickered, then started to all out laugh. "You want me to blow you, in my childhood bedroom, while Ross sleeps on the floor next to us?" 

"We've both fucked Ross," said Arin, stroking his belly. "At least once at the same time." 

"He's right, you know," said Ross, from down on the floor. "I don't care if you fuck, just please do it quietly. I’ve got driving duty tomorrow.” 

"I know that _you_ know that, Ross," Dan said, very slowly, as if he was holding on to his temper. "You're the one we're talking about."

"And don't you forget it," Ross mumbled, and there was a rustle of cloth, no doubt the sound of Ross rolling over. 

"Where were we?" Arin attempted to pat Dan on the head, shoving him not so subtly down.

"Really? We reconcile after complicated emotional shit - "

"Don't go poking that hornet's nest," said Ross from the floor.

"Shut up, Ross," Dan and Arin said at the same time. 

"And all you want is a beej?" Dan kissed Arin's belly, then his thigh. "Fuck, you're huge." 

"Gee, thanks," Arin said. 

"You love me for my honesty," said Dan, grabbing Arin's boxers and shoving them down. 

"Quit it with the sap," said Ross. 

"Ross, I swear to fucking god, I will smother you in your sleep."

"Will that keep me from having to drive that boat tomorrow?" 

"So help me, Ross," Arin said, "I will sit on you. We can tell the new kid about their other-other Dad -" 

"Why am I the other-other Dad, not just the other dad?"

"Because it's my jizz that made the baby," said Dan, sounding much more smug than he needed to be. 

"What if this one turns out like Rhea?" Ross piped up, propping himself up on one elbow. 

There was a moment of silence.

"Lightning doesn't strike twice," Arin said quickly. "Listen. I just want a beej. Please. We will stop having deep emotional conversations, if you will just shut up and let me cum." 

"I dunno," Ross said. "This is kinda fun." They could just make out Ross's blue eyes in the dim light.

"I will beg," Arin said. "Please. Let me have this beej. I have to pee every ten minutes and my back will not stop hurting. Let me have some small pleasures in life before it becomes a baby spew scented hell." 

Ross sighed theatrically. "I guess," he said. "I can find it in my heart. Somehow."

"Aren't we spending an awful lot of money to proclaim that we all love each other in, like, three months?" Dan flopped back, covering his face with both hands. "What am I doing with my life?"

"What do you mean?" Arin nudged Dan in the side. "You had this crisis. We talked about it. You went and dealt with that bullshit by -"

"Dead horse!" Dan said, and he said it louder than he probably needed to. "We were gonna stop flogging that dead horse. It's not a dead horse anymore. It's a smear on the ground."

"It'd be fun to flog you, though," said Ross, from the floor. "Both of you. Maybe it'd kill the damn argument."

"Hey. Pregnant. No more kinky shenanigans until -"

"For fuck sake." Dan groaned.

"Both of you quit acting like idiots," Ross groaned. "You both fucked up. You both apologized. We had the big Pack meeting." He sat up and pointed at Arin. "You, get over that chip on your shoulder." He pointed to Dan. "You. Get over your fucking... rockstar thing or whatever." He crossed his arms and glared. "Now kiss."

"But -" 

"Now!"

They both sat up, Arin all soft curves, Dan all angles. 

Dan leaned forward and kissed Arin, and Arin leaned in, accepting the kiss. 

"If I hear you guys arguing about this shit again, I'm gonna tie you to each other." Ross fell back down, and he covered his head with the blanket. 

"I'm glad we're marrying that dude," Arin said fondly, lying flat on his back. 

"Do you still want that beej?" Dan's hand slid up Arin's thigh, fingers splayed across the pale skin. 

"Have I ever said no to a beej?" Arin chuckled, trying to be quiet.

Dan kissed his cheek, smiling against his beard.

* * *

Arin's fingers were tangled in Dan's hair, as Dan sucked, up and down, the flat of his tongue rasping across the head of Arin's cock.

Arin was whimpering, squirming, his hips rocking forward as much as he could, panting, as Dan sucked, licked, slurped. It was familiar - salty, musky. He smelled... well, he smelled right, and whatever tight thing that had been twisted up in his chest was finally relaxing. 

Although he was a bit more indignant when Arin came on his face. 

"Really?" Dan sat up on his elbows, rubbing his face and licking his lips. He was... if not fond of the bitter saltiness, at least familiar with it. 

"Sorry," Arin said, although he didn't sound it. 

"You'll make it up to me," Dan murmured, coming back up to wrap his arms around Arin's middle, his dick against Arin's ass and his face in his neck. 

"... you just got cum in my hair," Arin grumbled. 

Dan snickered. 

* * *  
“I have never been so happy to see my own kitchen in my life,” Suzy murmured, as they trooped in. 

“What’s that smell?” Holly wrinkled her nose. 

“I think we lost power,” said Dan, holding each of their sleeping kids. “The stuff in the fridge might have gone bad.”

“Don’t care,” Arin said, moving as fast as he could, “gotta pee.”

“Home sweet home,” said Ross ruefully. 

It had been some kind of honeymoon.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan & Holly discuss Ella's imminent arrival.

“So a baby?” 

“Yep.” 

“And you’re absolutely certain you don’t want to… that you want to keep it?” 

“As sure as I’ll ever be.” Holly lay on her back, feet propped up on the wall. “So one more.”

“And you’re, like… you’re absolutely sure it’s mine?” Dan lay next to her, one hand going to rest on top of hers, on top of her face. 

“I mean, what are the chances? You’re the only one who could have put the sheer amount of… you know, jizz, that it would work.” 

“I mean, what if it’s Ross’s baby?” 

“It’s your baby.” 

“How do you know?” 

“I just do.” 

“Okay, okay,” Dan said defensively. “So, uh… are you excited?” 

“When the shock wears off,” Holly said. 

“Maybe we’ll have a boy,” said Dan, and he reached out for her, wrapping himself around her like a blanket, his hands splayed out along her belly. 

“Who knows,” said Dan. “Who cares.” His chin was on her shoulder. “You’ll have a new baby though.”

“Don’t remind me,” Holly groaned, and she pressed her face into the pillow. “When did this one come from, anyway?”

“I think in the theater,” said Dan. “Remember? ‘Oo, Danny, cum in me, please!’ and that whole business?” 

“Oh god,” Holly moaned. “Why are you reminding me of that?” She made a startled noise when his finger brushed against her breast, and then she groaned. “Ow.”

“What, already?” Dan nuzzled into her neck. Her scent was already starting to change - it was an unusual combination to find on an Alpha, to be sure, but it was intoxicating, and he pressed closer, kissing behind her ear. “You’re getting a lot more sensitive a lot faster than Arin or Suzy did.” 

“Are you going to compare notes?” Holly squirmed against him some more, and then she groaned. “Dan! Seriously?!” 

“I can’t help it,” Dan said. “You just smell so goooood….” His erection pressed against her ass. 

“You are such a pervert,” Holly mumbled. “... what if there’s something wrong with the baby?”

“There won’t be anything wrong with the baby,” said Dan soothingly. “Brian’s wife had no trouble with their kids.”

“Wait, Brian’s wife is an Alpha?” Holly turned around, looking up at Dan in surprise. 

“... I didn’t tell you that,” Dan said, making a face. “But yeah. Talk to her.”

“That’ll go over well.” 

“It’ll be fine,” said Dan. “C’mon. Think about it! One more person to continue our legacy.”

“Our legacy,” Holly said flatly. “We each already have two kids.”

“And now we’ll have a third one. Together!” Dan’s enthusiasm was contagious, and Holly smiled. 

“Can we not name this one after a bird or a flower?” 

“I make no promises.”


	38. Pet for a Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls are at their first day of school. Suzy comes up with a way to take everyone's mind off of it.

“I can’t believe we’re sending them off to kindergarten,” said Dan, as Rhea and Zip sat at the table, eating their breakfast. 

“I made lunch for each of ‘em,” said Suzy, handing Dan two brown paper bags, a bird drawn on each one. “And one for you,” she added. “But don’t open it until you’ve dropped them off.”

“... okay,” said Dan, raising an eyebrow. He shoved his own paper bag into his jacket pocket, and then everything was hustling the girls out the front door, buckling seatbelts, goodbye kisses… all of the usual stuff that goes on with small children and school. 

It wasn’t until Dan had dropped them off, and pulled off in a parking lot three blocks away to wipe his eyes, that he remembered what Suzy had given him. With a sigh, he pulled open the bag, expecting to see a nice little note, maybe a lollipop.

It was a collar. 

A blue suede collar, the leather buttery soft, with the word “Kitten” and their new house’s address printed on the tag. There was a note, too, in Suzy’s precise handwriting. 

_I expect you to be wearing this when you come in, unless you’re not in the mood._

There was a black lipstick kiss at the bottom. 

Dan grinned, and carefully buckled the collar around his neck, pulling down the small mirror to admire the fit. Fuck if that didn’t look good on him. He grinned, and started the car up again, driving back home. 

* * * 

“You’re late.” Suzy frowned at Dan when he swaggered in. 

“I had to stop and get these,” said Dan, and he held out a bouquet of roses, smiling at her in what he hoped was his most charming manner. 

“Put them in water, then clean the living room,” said Suzy. 

“Yes, ma’am,” said Dan, toeing out of his shoes and hanging his jacket up by the door.

“And take that shirt off. You know the rules.”

Dan blushed, but did as he was told, carefully folding his shirt up and putting it on a chair. 

The rules being that if Dan was wearing the collar, he did as he was told. He did not wear a shirt. He was at the bottom of the metaphorical pecking order.

Already, his dick was waking up in anticipation. He had a whole six hours to do this. They’d never done it like this before, during the day. 

He shivered, padded into the living room.

* * * 

He didn’t get much cleaning done. He’d picked up the toys and started organizing the books, but then Suzy was sitting on the floor with her legs wide open, beckoning for him to come closer on all fours.

“Gonna be a good kitten for me?” Her hands were in his hair, and he belly crawled between her legs, nuzzling into her thigh, then her cunt, his whole face opening her up, his tongue finding her clit just the way she liked it, her knees pressing into his head and her fingers twisting his hair. 

He licked her just the way she loved it, short, sharp flicks with the tip of his tongue, followed by long strokes with the flat. She was grinding against him, sobbing, moaning, her whole body shaking as she came and came and came, toes curling against his ribs, breasts bouncing as her hips worked desperately. 

“Good kitten,” Suzy gasped, still shaking. “Oh, god, yes, please, fuck… go find Ross. He wants you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Dan said, pressing a final kiss to her inner thigh, then standing up on shaking legs, his face still musky and wet from her orgasms, his cock desperate and hard between his legs. 

* * *

Ross was drawing in the “office,” chewing on his pen. He smiled when Dan walked in, and pointed to the space under the desk. 

“Rub my feet,” he told Dan. “And don’t tickle me!”

Dan resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but, well… they’d been in this kind of situation before, with both of them on either side of the metaphorical slash. At least Ross wasn’t feeling mean, just like being pampered. 

At least, Dan had assumed that, until Ross’s heel dug into his thigh, and when he looked up, Ross was just… grinning. 

“Ow,” Dan said, and Ross frowned. 

“You’re breaking my concentration, kitten,” he informed Dan, fiddling with his belt. “If you’re gonna make noise, I’m going to have to occupy your mouth otherwise… somehow.” 

Dan snorted, and Ross jabbed him in the chest with his foot.

“No backtalk,” Ross sang out, and he took a handful of Dan’s hair, pulling Dan towards his crotch. “Now come on. I want to live out my fantasy of being able to do my art while getting blown.”

“Can’t you get that anyway?” Dan pulled down the waistband of Ross’s pajama pants, leaning forward to take the head of Ross’s cock in his mouth.

“Less talk, more suck,” said Ross, his voice completely unchanged as Dan began to go all out on his dick. He didn’t react when Dan started to play with his balls, or when Dan deep throated him - he barely made a noise when he came down Dan’s throat, just shifted his hips and ensured that Dan swallowed as much of it as was possible. 

“Thank you, sir,” Dan said, kissing the tip of Ross’s softening cock, which made Ross groan. 

“I think Arin is in need of a good railing,” said Ross, tucking his dick back into his pants. “Since we’re still trying to make a baby and whatnot.”

Dan blushed, all the way down to his chest, and he was aware of how ridiculous it was to be this embarrassed. He still had Suzy’s arousal on his face, and a bit of Ross’s cum dripping down his chin. 

And yet. 

* * *

Arin, it turned out, wasn’t actually home yet. He was off running errands with Holly. 

Dan wasn’t going to complain too much. It was nice to have a chance to rest his jaw, wash his face. He made dinner (well, chopped up the vegetables and set the crock pot a’simmering), washed the dishes, vacuumed the living room, made Suzy and Ross tea, and was generally productive. The house looked cleaner than it had in a good long while.

It was a lot quieter as well, which was… kind of unsettling. It was strange, not having Rhea or Zip running around, not having to think about where they were. Hell, it was weird that he could swear without worring about someone repeating it. 

He was so lost in thought that he nearly jumped out of his skin when the door opened, and Holly and Arin came trooping in with groceries, smelling like autumn. 

“Oh, hey, I forgot we were doing that today.” Holly set the groceries on the table, looking Dan up and down. “How deep do you think he is?”

“One way to find out. Dan, c’mere.” Arin gestured for Dan to come stand in front of him.

Dan did so, wordlessly, keeping his eyes on his feet. 

“Suck me off. Right here.” He pointed in front of him, in full view of the windows. 

Without a word, Dan sank down on his knees, his hands going to Arin’s calves, nuzzling his cheek against Arin’s soft cock.

“I don’t wanna get in trouble with the neighbors,” said Holly, tugging gently on Dan’s hair. “Why don’t you have him put away the groceries, then maybe we can do a thing?” She fluttered her eyelashes at Arin, whose cock twitched against Dan’s cheek.

“I can live with that,” Arin said quickly, all but dragging Holly into the next room. 

“He’s eager,” Dan mumbled, but he couldn’t exactly blame Arin. He couldn’t remember the last time, before today, that he’d been able to have actual sex, without worrying about being walked in on and having to pay therapy bills in some unknown future. 

It took him about ten minutes to put everything away, and then it was just a case of finding where everyone was stationed. 

As it were.

There was a loud moan from the bedroom, and that was a good hint. 

As good a hint as any other, at any rate.

* * * 

Dan was fucking Arin. Really fucking Arin too, the kind of deep fucking that usually only occurred when Arin was in heat. Arin wasn’t due a heat for a few days at the very least, but it was nice to at least… get started.

They wanted a baby, after all, and babies take time. 

Arin was lying on his belly, taking Dan’s cock.

Well, more accurately, he was lying on top of Holly, fucking her, his own thrusts propelled by Dan driving into him. Arin was babbling about his Alphas, about having a baby, about how good Dan felt, but Dan wasn’t paying too much attention - he was a bit too lost in the sensation of being surrounded by Arin, of his knot sliding out of him, of… of….

“Fuck, knot me, oh fuck, yes, please!” Arin was being shameless. As if he was ever anything else. He was meeting each of Dan’s thrusts, and he was moaning about how good Holly felt, and Holly was reaching around Arin to grab at Dan’s hair, and then Dan’s knot was popping, and... and.... 

“Oh, fuck, yes, fuck, don’t _stop_ , fuck, Dan!” Arin wailed, as Dan came inside of him, as deep as he could, tying the two of them together as Dan’s cock disgorged what felt like gallons upon gallons of hot cum. 

“Arin,” Holly whined, but no dice. Arin couldn’t move anymore, because Das was lying on top of him, still twitching, panting heavily. 

“Sweetie, honey, darling, just… let me eat you out,” Arin said. “I’d tell Dan to do it -” 

“Mmm?” Dan opened one eye, blinking sleepily down at Holly. 

“But he’s kind of out of commission,” said Arin. “Just, uh… hold on.” 

There was some shuffling, although Dan missed most of it - he was buried in Arin, he was spent, and he was going to just sleep for a few hours, until he was needed again. 

* * * 

“Abba!” Rhea ran straight into Dan’s arms, clinging to him like a bug. “I missed you! We did painting and Sarah said she’s only got a Mommy and Daddy, isn’t that weird? And they’ve got a bunny but not any pigeons, and....”

Dan let Rhea’s babble wash over him, kissing Zip when she came over at a more sedate pace. He buckled them in, started the car up.

“Abba, what’d you do while we were at school?”

“Just got some chores done,” Dan said. “So what else did you do?”

“Well….”


	39. Blazed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan shouldn't have eaten the brownies.

The brownies in the freezer said "For the dance! Do not touch! This means you, Rhea!". 

It didn't say anything about Dan, though, so he took them out of the freezer, and left forty bucks on top of the foil that had been covering them. He'd buy her another batch and deal with the tongue lashing.

So maybe he was getting a bit more of a sweet tooth as he got older. Or maybe losing his morals. Either worked.

There weren't a lot of them, come to think of it. Totally not enough for them to share at the dance. Dan had chaperoned a few of those things. Teenagers tended to descend on any type of food like rabid dogs. 

Maybe it was a good thing that Dan was eating these brownies, if there weren't even enough to go around. Forty bucks was totally enough money to supply brownies to a bunch of teenagers.

These brownies were decadent, too - full of chocolate chips, marshmallows, even pretzels sprinkled across the top. He had eaten four of them before he realized he needed a drink of milk. 

Weirdly enough, he was still hungry - the brownies sat in his gut like a cannonball, but he wanted more. 

* * *

He'd eaten the whole platter - all ten or so of them - before he started to feel strange. But Jemma was coming towards him, on her little six year old legs. She wrapped an arm around his leg, holding on to his pants. 

"Abba!" She wasn't talking much yet, but they'd passed the terror of her never talking. "Abba, brushy!" She held out her hairbrush

"Gimme a verb, sweetheart," said Dan, resting his hand on top of her head. She had Suzy's dark hair, with Holly's feathery texture, and it slid either across his fingers like silk. 

Jemma paused, and her face screwed up as she thought.

"... ch'clate?" 

"No babe, that's not a verb." Dan leaned down and picked her up, holding her on his hip. She grabbed at his hair, her eyes on his eyebrows. 

"... pease?"

"That's polite. What do you want me to do with the brush?" She was holding on to his hair, not pulling, just running her fingers through the tip of it.

"... hair." 

"Okay," said Dan, walking into the living room. He felt... hyped up. Probably all the sugar. He was going to regret all of that sugar later, but for now it was so, so worth it. 

* * * 

Dan didn't realize the brownies were... doctored until he'd sent Jemma on her way, her hair brushed, to go play with her "babies." 

And he had an erection. Like, a full on, slightly unsettlingly hard erection, the kind of erection that he used to get when he was a teenager, that he could have used to hammer in nails. And his thoughts were going by at a snail's pace.

Oh fuck. 

"Rhea," Dan called. "Rhea?" It seemed like everything was a very long way off, and going by very, very slowly. 

Fuck. He was high. He was higher than he'd been, in a very long time. Not since that time when he made pot brownies. Wait a minute. 

Zip had brought those brownies. Shit. 

"Rhea!" 

There was a pillow on his lap now, thank god, so when the thundering stomping that was his eldest child appeared in front of him, things weren't too weird. 

"What's up?" She looked down at him, and she raised an eyebrow. "Abba? You look horrible."

"Gee, thanks, beloved offspring," said Dan. "I know I'm really loved." 

"You know we love you," said Rhea. She didn't hug him, thank god. That would have been... no. 

"Can you go get Zip?"

"Why can't you?"

"Because I'm tired," said Dan, aware of the feel of the words in his mouth. 

"Well, so is she," said Rhea. "She's in her room with the door locked."

"... I see." So the kid was probably having her first experience with weed. 

It had better be her first experience with weed. 

"I'm gonna... go to bed early. Can you tell... the various adults running around that I'm not feeling good?" 

"Sure," said Rhea. She leaned down and kissed him, then went stomping off to find the other adults in the household. 

* * * 

Dan was lying flat on his back, one hand loosely around his dick, when he heard the door open. With a startled squawk, he rolled over, his hand not trapped under him. 

“Dude,” said Arin, closing the door behind him and plunging the room back into dimness, “what’s up?”

“Zip brought home pot brownies for the dance,” said Dan, too lazy to roll over. Everything was spinny and loose. “I accidentally ate all of them.”

“How do you accidentally eat a whole platter of brownies?” Arin flopped onto the bed next to him. 

“I was hungry,” Dan mumbled, his face in the pillow. His hand was still under him, and he was humping it, slowly and steadily. “Arin, I’m gonna, like, die of horniness. And I can feel the shape of my thoughts, they’re fuckin’... I can… my mouth is like… my spit is made of quicksilver. Not quiksilver. Mercury.”

“Sure it is, buddy,” said Arin, patting Dan on the shoulder. 

“Arin? You need to fuck me. Like… right now.”

“Do I now?” Arin prodded Dan in the side. “What about the shit I was doing before I decided to come check on you because our oldest child told me you’re apparently you look like you’ve got the plague?” 

“Arin,” said Dan. He rolled onto his back, and his cock was hard and desperate, his hand wrapped around it, squeezing it, beginning to really jack, squeezing his fist around the head of his cock. “Arin, I’ve got a boner.”

“I know what it’s like when you have a boner,” said Arin, in an amused tone of voice. “We’ve been, like… married for more than fifteen years.”

“Yeah,” Dan said dreamily. “Isn’t it nice?” 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” said Arin, grabbing Dan’s butt. “I could be doing, like, a zillion other things. What if one of our offspring walks in?” 

“Rhea’s watching Jemma, Cammy is doing her Cammy thing, and Zip is stoned.”

“My kid is stoned?” Arin made to get up, but Dan prodded him with his foot. 

“She’s gonna keep being stoned,” said Dan. “Just leave her alone. When she comes down we’ll deal with it.”

“And in the meantime?” 

“Well….” Dan attempted to wriggle his ass alluringly. 

Judging by the way Arin was snickering, he didn’t succeed. 

* * * 

“Oh, fuck, Dan….” Arin’s hips were working desperately, and he had his face pressed into Arin’s neck, his sweat making Dan’s back sweaty. “Fuck, how do you feel?” 

“Fuck,” Dan gasped. “Oh god, fuck, Arin, give it to me, harder, please!” He had his face pressed into the pillows, digging his teeth into them, humping back against him, moaning, panting, whimpering, a mess of arousal and being high. His whole body was lighter than air, it spinning, right over his head, so… so… full….

“Oh god, Dan, I’m not gonna be able to hold out, fuck, Dan, I’m….”

Arin came inside of Dan, his whole body going stock still, then collapsing on top of Dan, his face in Dan’s shoulder blades. He pressed kisses along Dan’s spine, and Dan moaned, his face still in the pillow. 

“Dude,” said Arin, breathing heavily, “you want a… blowie or something?”

“Nah,” said Dan. “Maybe send one of the ladies in or somethin’.”

“You’re such a fucking pervert,” said Arin, and he slapped Dan’s thigh. “We just had a quicky, at our age. Four fuckin’ kids in, dude.”

Dan snorted. “It’s not my fault,” he whined. “Go yell at your daughter.”

“I thought she was our daughter.”

“When she’s being a fucking… drug mule, she’s your daughter.”

“I dunno.. .I’d say she’s taking after you, with that business.” 

Dan groaned, and he squirmed, his cock leaving a wet spot on the bed, still hard and leaking. 

“Can we not talk about our kids with your jizz dripping out of me?” 

“Okay, okay, fine,” said Arin. He pulled his pants up, and kissed Dan. “I’ll send someone through with some water, okay?”

“You’re an angel,” Dan said, rolling over again. 

“I try.”

* * * 

“So our kid got you stoned?” Holly came in, carrying a bottle of water. 

Dan had finally got it into his head to grab a blanket and cover himself up, so his kids didn’t accidentally get an eye full, and he’d have to cut off his penis. 

“Yeah,” said Dan. “How about I give you some truly glorious cunnilingus or fellatio - or both! - and then you let me into that precious palace between your legs with my mighty cock.”

“Oh my god, Dan,” Holly said, and she helped him sit up, giving him a water bottle. “Drink up.”

“Then can I eat you out?” 

“I’ll think about it, when your tongue isn’t like sandpaper.” Holly ran an affectionate hand through his hair. “How much did you eat, anyway?”

“Like… ten brownies,” said Dan.

“Ten brownies?! You… deserve this bullshit,” she said. 

“Let me make it up to you,” Dan whined like a puppy, nuzzling up into her wrist. He sat up, drinking his water up, and then he stuck his tongue out for inspection.

“... good enough,” said Holly, and she leaned in to kiss him. 

He could feel the world spin as her warm fingers tangled in his hair and her soft, dry lips pressed against his own. 

* * * 

“Dan, Dan, oh….” Holly was twisting his hair in her hands, and she was moaning, sobbing as he licked her cunt, long, deep licks, his hand wrapped around her cock. He jerked her off, and the taste of her filled up his mouth, his head, deep and soft and salty. He buried his face in her cunt, and he moaned, humping against the bed, his erection still hard and desperate. 

“Please baby, please,” Dan whimpered, licking along her thighs. “... I need to… please.” He was almost growling. “Please!”

“I’m sorry,” Holly said, and she sounded genuinely apologetic. “I… I can’t take much more.” She’d cum three times already, her cock spitting spooge across her belly, her cunt throbbing and twitching through who even knew how many orgasms. “I’m worn out.”

“‘S’okay,” said Dan, his voice affectionate. He nuzzled into her belly, kissing it, then further up, giving each nipple a lick. When he finally reached her face, she wrinkled her nose.

“You smell like pussy."

“Well, yeah,” said Dan, and he started laughing, until he had to roll over in order to breathe, still laughing.

“Oh god,” said Holly. “You are _so_ ridiculous when you’re high, you know that?”

“Yep. But you love me anyway!” He nuzzled into her neck, and she made a protesting noise. 

“I need to take a shower now,” she grumbled. “I’m gonna be helping Cammy with her homework.” 

“As if we’re smart enough for that,” Dan mumbled, his face in her neck. “Go shower,” she said. 

Everything was spinning and salt and sex and mercury. 

* * * 

“I brought you some dinner,” said Suzy, coming into the dim room. “Are you _still_ jerking of?”

“I’ve got the stamina of a fucking… god, when I’m stoned,” said Dan. “It’s not my fault!”

“It is your fault for eating all of those brownies!” Suzy poked him in the side. 

“I didn’t know they were special,” Dan whined, and he was still humping his hand, breathing heavily. 

“So you just ate a plate full of brownies that weren’t for you in the first place?” She prodded him again.

“I left money,” said Dan. “Take it out. She’s not going to that dance.”

“Why not?”

“Because I think she knew they were special,” said Dan. “Is she still hiding in her bedroom?”

“Yeah. Said she wasn’t feeling good and she looked a bit… twitchy when I checked on her.”

Dan snorted. “I’ll have a talk with her,” he said. He glanced down at his raging erection. “... later.”

“I could… help you with that,” said Suzy, and she squeezed his cock through the soggy blanket.

Dan moaned, his eyes squeezed shut. “Fuck, Scuze….” 

“Well… it has been a while….”

* * * 

Suzy was hot and tight around his cock, her skin was soft and warm and smooth under his hands, her nipple rings a few degrees cooler, her fingers digging into his hips. 

“Oh god, fuck, Suzy….” He was jackhammering his hips up, and she just held on for dear life, panting and moaning quietly. “You feel so good, you’ so… hot, it feels like… I'm gonna burn up like a… like a match, like a candle, my dick is a candle, and you’re melting it….” 

Suzy leaned down, nearly unseating herself from his dick, and she covered his mouth. 

“Shush,” she said. “I don’t wanna be fucking a candle, or anything like that. You’ve got a nice dick, and your stoned babblings are cute, but kinda making it hard for me to get off.”

“Sorry,” Dan mumbled, as the room spun. He was… he was becoming painfully aware of just how high he was. How all of his sense were fucking with him, in new and creative ways. 

It was fun, but he was gonna be pretty glad when it was over. 

His orgasm was cresting, right there, his dick beginning to get sore, but Suzy felt so… good, so hot, so high, so amazing, and it took so much effort to keep from talking, but it took less effort to thrust up into her, until he was cumming and cumming, as hard as he could, sobbing and moaning, actually trembling, the cold, sweet pleasure leaving him limp as he just came and came.

At least his knot wasn’t involved, thank god. He’d be gone for _days_ if that had come into play. 

Suzy was gasping, grinding against him, and he brought one hand up between her legs, a bit dazed. He pressed against her clit, and she came around his over sensitive cock like an earthquake. 

* * * 

There was a warm body pressed against Dan’s, and their was a head on his chest. 

“So I hear you’re bestowing sexual favors unto the favored,” said Ross, his pointy chin digging into Dan’s chest. “And also you’re blazed out of your mind.”

“I’m pretty damn blazed,” Dan allowed. “I dunno if it’s out of my mind, per se?”

“Well, you were sleeping naked and snoring like a beast,” said Ross. “You don’t generally do it, what with all the kids wandering around the house.”

“I was under a blanket,” Dan said, defensive.

“Well, yeah,” said Ross. “Still.” He nudged Dan. “You up for some hot, sexy action?”

“... maybe later,” said Dan, and he yawned. “I could go for some hardcore cuddling, though.”

“You sexy beast, you,” said Ross, and he kissed Dan on the cheek, as Dan began to float back to the weird dream place that he had been inhabiting before. 

Zip was so busted.

When he could walk without wobbling.


	40. Horror Convention

“Why did I agree to this again?” Dan trailed after his eldest two, as they weaved in & out of of the crowd of people. 

“Because we went to the football game on your birthday,” said Rhea over her shoulder, dodging around a Freddy Krueger cosplayer. 

“So I have to be here,” Dan sighed.

The two of them had, inexplicably, developed a taste for horror movies. 

Holly said they were taking after her. Ross said it was the encroaching dread of adult responsibilities. Arin said it was to piss their parents off.

Regardless, there was a horror convention in town. Right on their birthday. 

It was practically a miracle. 

“Did we have to take Ella?” Dan sighed, as his youngest tried to her best to shove his hair into her mouth. She squealed when a particularly well done Pennywise cosplayer walked by. 

He made to cover her eyes, but she was reaching out for the clown, chuckling. 

“Hi,” said the Pennywise cosplayer, & he looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, it’s about an even balance, the ones who scream & the ones who get excited.”

“She loves clowns,” said Dan, holding his litle daughter out. She chuckled, & patted the clown on one of his big fluffy buttons. 

“Well, someone has to!”

* * *

“Abba, Abba, look!” Zip was holding a… very realistic looking rubber mask. 

It looked like Leatherface, from the Texas Chainsaw movies. 

Which he’d had to sit through, as Rhea & Zip watched it avidly. 

“Please don’t tell me you bought that,” said Dan, in a long suffering tone. 

“Too late,” said Zip, & she pulled it on. “How does it look?” 

“Horrific,” Dan said flatly, & he readjusted Ella. 

“Awesome!” Zip disappeared into the crowd. 

* * * 

“Abba, check it out,” said Rhea, & she was holding up a hockey mask. 

Ella took one look at it & shrieked like she was being murdered. 

“Nope,” said Dan. 

“But I’m moving - “

“I don’t care,” said Dan, as Ella screamed louder. “Put it away!”

“Sorry, sorry,” said Rhea, & she hastily dropped the mask on the table she’d picked it up from. “See, Ella, look, see?” 

Ella reached out for her sibling, & Rhea sighed, holding her. 

“You’re such a weirdo, Casper,” she said, & she kissed Ella’s head. 

* * * 

“Wanna go to the screening?” Rhea held Ella to her chest, leaning against Dan as they walked past a door. “Look, it’s pretty empty.” 

“How bad can it be?”

* * * 

“Next time,” Dan said, walking out on shaking legs & trying not to think about what it was he had seen on screen, “we’re going to a fuckin’… Care Bear convention. Don’t tell your parents I said ‘fuck.”” 

Zip snorted, wrapping her arm around Dan’s middle & kissing his cheek. “It wasn’t so bad,” she said. 

“He put acid on her tongue,” he said, a bit hysterically. 

“Ella liked it,” said Rhea cheerfully. 

“You’re gonna pay for her therapy in ten years,” said Dan. 

“I’m gonna be a famous boxer by then,” said Rhea, “so I’ll totally be able to.” 

Dan snorted. 

“Thanks, Abba,” siad Zip. “It was a good birthday.”

“Yeah,” said Rhea. “Despite your wussitude. It was excellent.”

“I have been there for five different births,” Dan said. “Or do you wanna hear the story of how each of you were born in vivid technicolor?”

“Never mind,” Rhea said quickly. “I rescind your wuss rating.”

Dan snorted. 

“Let’s go home,” said Dan. “I need vast quantities of birthday cake to clear my brain.” 

“That, we should have,” said Zip.


	41. "All The Kids Are Outta The House, Get Naked!"

“All the kids are out of the house,” Suzy told Ross. “Get naked!”

“What if I’m not in the mood?” 

Ross put on a pouting face, but he helped unclip Suzy’s bra, reaching around to squeeze her breasts, grinding his erection against her ass.

“If you’re not in the mood, I will go masturbate naked on the bed,” said Suzy, leaning back against him, as he twisted her nipples. “I just want to be NAKED!”

She moaned, wriggling against him, grinding her soft ass against his front. 

Ross was just pulling his cock out when the door burst open. 

Suzy had just enough time to grab a pillow to put in front of her, as Ross stayed behind her, his cock still against her lower back.

“Mommy,” Cammy said, “I can’t find my baseball glove.”

“Weren’t you guys on your way out?”

Ross was fumbling his pants closed, & then he was wiping his hands on his pants, & he was bending down, leading Cammy out. 

… oh well.

It had been a nice idea, at least.


	42. Clingy Bab

“Dan?” 

“Mm?” 

“Why are you shaving while holding Rhea?”

“I need to shave, or I look like a muppet,” said Dan, carefully navigating around his nose. He was using a safety razor, & wincing a bit every time it dragged on his skin.

Arin leaned on the door, two thirds asleep, watching as Dan juggled their three month old daughter.

“Why are you still holding her was more my question?”

“Because she screams if I put her down,” Dan said, with an heir of exhaustion. 

“Give her here,” said Arin, opening his arms up. “C’mon, sweetie. It’s one of your food sources.”

Rhea blinked awake when she was handed to Arin, & then her whole face began to scrunch up, her lower lip wobbling. 

Dan hastily rinsed his face off, wiped it off on his discarded shirt, & opened his arms up. 

“C’mere, little bird,” Dan said, & then he took Rhea, her backside under his arm, his hand on her back, so that she could look over his shoulder.

She held on to his hair, & she drooled down his back, as he jiggled her. 

“Hi,” Dan said quietly. “Shh… you don’t need to cry, sweetheart.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, & she cooed quietly, her little face pressed into the side of his neck.

“I’m a bit insulted,” Arin said, reaching out to pet the top of her head. Her hair was already coming in, dark & curly, fine as down. 

“I’m tired,” Dan complained, nuzzling his cheek against her as she gummed at his shoulder. “I haven’t been able to put her down in like, two weeks.”

“I didn’t realize it was that bad,” Arin said, as Dan carefully turned off the light & made his way back into the rest of the house. “She doesn’t seem fussy when I feed her.”

“Well, yeah, food takes priority over whatever clinginess that she’s got,” Dan said, as he settled on the couch, Rhea cuddled up to his chest, her head under his chin. “But if I was nursing… yeesh.”

“Be grateful,” Arin said, flopping next to them, offering his finger to grab.

She held on tightly, staring at him with her dark eyes, & she chuckled at him, still drooling. 

“Mmm?” Dan was two thirds asleep, sinking into the couch cushions. 

“She’ll be a teenager some day & want all the space,” said Arin. 

Rhea began to wriggle against Dan, fussing, & Dan sighed, jiggling her.

“She’s hungry,” said Arin.

“You sure?” 

“Pretty sure.”

“That’s your forte,” said Dan, handing his daughter over. 

“Gee, thanks,” said Arin, fumbling his shirt off. “Good to know what I’m needed for.”

“You’re needed for tons of stuff,” Dan said, kissing Arin loudly on the cheek. 

Arin snorted, but he was blushing, pleased.


	43. Pregnant Orgasms

“I heard women have really intense orgasms when they’re pregnant,” Holly said, crouching between Arin’s legs & nuzzling up & down his thighs.

“Seeing as I’m not a woman, I feel like I don’t really know if it would work that way,” said Arin, trying to pat her head over the curve of his belly. 

“This is your second time doing it,” Holly said, & she planted a kiss right under Arin’s navel. “Shouldn’t you have been able to pick up on something?”

“All I can pick up on is that I hate it,” Arin groused.

“What about this?” 

Holly’s hand found Arin’s cock, & she gave it a slow, luxurious squeeze.

“… that, I don’t hate,” Arin said, & he was blushing. 

“Good to know!”


	44. Ross's Turn

“It’s Ross’s turn,” said Suzy, & she shoved the crying baby into Ross’s arms.

“Why is it my turn?” 

Ross bounced Rhea, as the baby cried louder, her whole face crumpled up.

“Shhh,” Ross said, & he kissed the top of her head. 

“Because you can’t nurse them, you haven’t recently changed any diapers.”

“I feel like i should be arguing, but I’m not gonna,” said Ross, & he made cooing noises at Rhea.

* * * 

“It’s Ross’s turn,” Arin mumbled, & he indicated the the big pile of dishes.

“Why is it my turn?”

“Because I have to do shit-”

“Shit!”

“No swearing in front of the girls,” Holly said, as if by rote.

“Girls!”

“Yes, that’s you too.”

“But do I have to?”

“You can wash the dishes, or you can give them baths,” said Suzy, in her no nonsense tone.

The girls, who were still figuring out potty training & also liked to squeal.

“… dishes it is,” said Ross.

* * * 

“It’s Ross’s turn,” Suzy purred, & he was patting Ross’s ass, as Dan pulled himself free of Arin’s ass, still shaking.

“Hmm?”

Ross looked down at Holly, who he was still buried inside of.

“Ross’s turn,” said Suzy. “He hasn’t been knotted in a while.”

“I haven’t?”

“You haven’t,” said Suzy. “C’mon. Do it.” 

“… fine,” said Ross. “I guess.”

“You just guess?”

Dan nuzzled into Ross’s neck. 

“Do ittttt,” Ross groaned. “Come in me!”

“… oh my god,” said Dan, but his cock was still going into Ross’s ass.

After all. 

It was Ross’s turn.


	45. Sabba Dan

“He just smiled at me!” 

Dan was staring down at the little bundle in his arms, his expression delighted.

“He’s too little to smile yet,” said Rhea. “Could I have my son back?”

She was wearing one of Bonnie’s sweaters, her thick, curly hair tied back. 

Bonnie was napping in the other room, grateful for a chance to not be… touching anyone. 

“He totally smiled at me,” said Dan, staring down into his grandson’s pale eyes. “Look at him - he loves me.”

“Abba, you’re still “not mom” to him at this point.” 

“He’s totally got my eyes.”

“Abba!”

Dan looked guiltily over at his daughter.

“Give him to me.”

Dan handed over his grandson, who was still staring up at him, glossy eyed.

“Your sabba loves you,” Rhea told her son, “but he’s a bit silly.”

“I was just as silly when you were born, you know,” Dan said, kissing Rhea loudly on the temple.

She grinned at him, & she yawned. 

“I believe you,” she said. “But you don’t need to hover so much.”

“I can’t help it,” said Dan. “But… I’ll try to back down a little bit. Be a bit more reasonable.” 

“That’s all I ask.”


	46. Suzy Bonding

Suzy was sitting on the floor, surrounded by three of her daughters. 

Her hair was in a messy braid, & her face was smeared with who even knew how much makeup.

“Mommy let me use my makeup on her!” Zip chirped, when Holly poked her head around the door.

“She did, didn’t she?” 

Holly grinned. 

“The kids, they ambushed me,” said Suzy, her tone plaintive. 

“Your turn, Howie!” 

“… my turn!”

“Yes!”


	47. They're So Cute When They're Asleep

“They’re so cute when they’re asleep.”

“Yeah, when they’re not like lemurs on acid.” 

Arin gave Ross a Look.

At eight months pregnant, he hated everything, he had to pee, & he was exhausted. 

But he loved his partners, & he loved his children. 

“They’re not acid lemurs,” said Arin. “Anyway, what’s this one gonna be like?”

He grunted, as the baby kicked him, & Ross put his hand on the spot, giving Arin a sympathetic look. 

“Amazing,” Ross said, & his face opened up. “I know you hate being like this, but… dude.” He grinned. “I know it’s gonna be great.”

“… I thought you hated kids,” said Arin. “I mean, like… you like our kids.” 

“Well, yeah,” said Ross. “They’re our kids. And this one is also our kid. Just… you know. I’m more invited.”

Arin blushed, then leaned in, kissing Ross awkwardly, belly to belly. 

The baby kicked against his stomach. 

“Huh,” said Ross. “I didn’t expect that.” 

“I did,” Arin said, making a face.


	48. Ladies Love A Guy With Kids

“The ladies love a guy who’s good with kids!”

“I should hope you’re good with kids by now,” said Rhea, as Ella held on to his leg, & Jemma snored against his shoulder. “What with the five you’ve produced.”

“What can I say?” Dan grinned. “I’ve got practice. Although the ladies loved me before that too.”

Rhea reached down, lifting Ella up, so that the two year old ended up clutching at her shirt. 

“Maybe I should start trying it,’ Rhea said, her tone thoughtful.

“You are NOT using your sisters to get girls!” 

Rhea didn’t say anything, just walked off, bouncing her sister. 

“I mean it,” Dan called.

He heard Rhea cackling, as she made her way upstairs.


	49. New Babby Tired

“Why am I so damn tired?” 

“Because we have a new baby,” said Dan, & he yawned, rubbing his eyes & handing the crying baby to Holly.

Holly made a face & pushed her nipple into Ella’s mouth, as the baby clung to her t-shirt.

“Yeah, but I wasn’t this tired with Jemma. Or Cammy. Or the twins.”

“Well, you weren’t living with us when we had the twins,” said Dan, “and uh, to be blunt… you were the one who had the baby in you this time, which can wear you out.” 

Dan yawned, & he smiled, enough to make her heart melt. 

Then Ella lost her hold, & she sobbed again, milk dripping down her chin. 

Holly sighed.

“I guess this is my first time being a cow.” 

“Moo,” said Dan, his hand on Ella’s fuzzy head, his forehead against hers.


	50. Valentine's Day, Holly and Dan

“... I know we’re not, like, officially dating,” said Dan, and he held out the little cardboard box shaped like a heart. “But I mean... we’re both sires to be, so... uh... happy Valentines day.” 

Holly, stressed out, still smelling like Arin and Suzy from their intense snuggle session, blinked at Dan. 

“Hm?”

“We’re not, like... officially dating,” Dan said. “But we’ve had sex in proximity of each other, so figure that might merit a nice gift?” 

“Fair enough,” said Holly, and she took her chocolate. 

* * *

“Another one? Did Rhea miss one?”

Holly blinked down at the rose that Dan had just handed her. 

“That’s from me,” said Dan, and he smiled at her, shy.

Rhea and Zip were wrestling on the lawn, while little Cammy was passed around from adult to adult, cooing at the fireflies. 

Holly smiled, and leaned in, kissing Dan on the mouth. 

“Thank you,” said Holly, and added it to the rest of her bouquet; one from each of her mates now, one from each of her children. 

* * *

“... what is that?”

Holly blinked down at the lump of chocolate on a plate that Dan was holding out to her.

“... the girls wanted to make everyone something special,” said Dan. “And they insisted that I give this to you as a present.”

“... I see,” said Holly, and she grinned. “Thank you very much for the....”

“Cookie,” Dan supplied.

“Cookie,” said Holly, and she poked it nervously. 

It made a noise like a charcoal briquette. 

* * * 

“I brought you flowers,” Dan sang, almost dancing into the bedroom. 

Holly, sprawled out on the bed, so pregnant she could barely see her feet, looked up at him with an exhausted expression.

“Flowers?”

“Your favorite,” he said, and he held them out to her.

Holly gave a long, deep sigh, and she put her face into them, inhaling the sweet scent. 

“How’s our newest model doing?” 

“She’s been roaming,” said Holly, as the baby shifted inside of her.

Dan leaned over, kissing Holly on the mouth, his hand flat on her belly. 

“Well, I’ll be here, if she was looking for me,” said Dan, as he sprawled on the bed next to her, his head on her shoulder and his hand on her belly. 

“That’s nice of you,” said Holly.

“Arin’s planning to make you a chocolate cake,” said Dan. “But I didn’t tell you that.”

“Oh, obviously,’ said Holly, and she leaned in, kissing him. 

* * *

“Howie,” Dan said, and Holly looked over the rim of her glasses at her grand son, who was holding on to her leg.

“Hi, buddy,” said Holly, and she leaned down, picking him up and holding him on her hip. “You escaping the crush?”

“Cwush.”

“Very good,” said Holly, and she kissed him on the forehead. 

Dan - the original Dan, or at least, the original Dan in this family - came around the corner, and he was holding a little cardboard box of chocolate. 

“Hi,” said Dan. “You wanna give Howie a nice present?” 

“Pesent!” 

Dan handed his grandson the box, who handed the box to Holly.

“Happy Valentines Day, Howie.” 

“Happy Valentines Day,” Dan said, and he kissed her.


End file.
